Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New
Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the District of Columbia. These
nine states and our nation’s capital currently share a place on the political
stage.
Nineteen. That is the number
of bills dealing with the implementation of ranked choice / instant runoff
voting (RCV / IRV) currently under consideration in the nine state legislatures
and Washington D.C. city council. Voters in Maine are not waiting for the
legislation. A
ballot initiative implementing RCV / IRV for all state and federal elected
offices except President of the United States is on the ballot this November.
Legislators in nine states and the District of Columbia city
council realize that just talking about the heightened level of political
polarization does not solve the problem. They realize that to effectively govern,
to do the job they were elected to do, requires people with opposing views to work
together, respectfully listen to all opinions, and then develop solutions to
the problems facing their constituents. To create the environment where that
can take place takes action. They have not just talked. They have acted.
In 2017 when the next
regular session of the Nevada legislature convenes, state legislators can join
the ranks of those who choose action. By enacting the
Nevada Election Modernization and Reform Act of 2017 (NEMRA – 2017),
lawmakers will address the issues of:
- Political polarization
- Low voter turnout
- Strategic voting
- Voter dissatisfaction
NEMRA – 2017 will also contribute to solving another major
problem facing Nevada’s elections. Our voting
equipment and software is old and nearing obsolescence. Both will need to
be replaced in the very near future. By eliminating at least $3 – 4 million
from the cost of administering elections, NEMRA – 2017 will allow county governments
and the legislature to redirect those funds towards this critical need.
Nine and nineteen. That is only a piece of election related
legislation pending in the states. At present there are 567
bills dealing with issues such as absentee ballots, voter registration,
internet voting, voting by mail, types of primary elections, and the creation
of committees and task forces to look into voting-related topics pending in
various states.
The issue of election reform has the attention of state
legislators and voters. Nevada legislators do not have to wait until 2017 to
act. A bill draft request (BDR) can be
filed now.
No comments:
Post a Comment