Voting Reforms to Increase Confidence
By: Savannah Epperson
Tags: Ranked Choice Voting, Voting Reform, Politics, Blockchain, Voting

It’s widely reported that confidence in America’s election process is diminishing. Many feel their vote doesn’t matter or believe the candidate they prefer has no chance, and therefore their vote would be wasted, so they may not vote at all. Nearly 45% did not cast a ballot in 2016. Even with 2020 having the highest turnout in a century, projections are still just 65% turnout, remaining behind other developed nations. Additionally, many who voted didn’t like either candidate, but just voted for who they feared least.

Despite warnings from early Presidents to avoid two-party politics, Americans have been conditioned to believe we only get two options. It’s created a bitter divide, along with apathy among those who don’t fit with either major party. More options are needed to fuel meaningful conversations, collaboration, and ensure all Americans can be represented. Why should 240 million Americans be expected to fit into one of two categories? How can we resolve this so that all Americans can be represented, know their voice matters, and their vote counts? Three changes that would help: ranked choice voting, blockchain technology, and splitting electoral votes.

Ranked choice voting (aka instant runoff), allows voters to rank candidates in the order they’d choose them. If four candidates run, each voter ranks them 1–4. Then, first-choice votes are counted. If any candidate received over 50%, that candidate wins. If not, the candidate who received the fewest votes is eliminated, and the second choice of each voter who had chosen the eliminated candidate is counted instead. If a candidate now has over 50%, it’s over. If not, another candidate is eliminated, and the next choice is counted for voters who had that candidate. The process continues until a candidate receives a majority. This system allows voters to vote their conscience, knowing that if their 1st choice doesn’t do well, their vote can still make a difference. It also eliminates the need for run-off elections like we’re seeing in Georgia.

Learn more here: https://www.fairvote.org/rcv#where_is_ranked_choice_voting_used

Blockchain is a fast-growing technology that could be used to record, verify, and count votes securely. It could provide security controls, like matching voters against a registration database, confirming eligibility, and ensuring they only vote once, helping to alleviate fraud potential. It could also provide voters a way to track their vote, while still ensuring anonymity through encryption. Blockchain works by storing data in sequenced blocks, which are copied onto many decentralized ledgers, making manipulation of the data nearly impossible, since it would have to be manipulated in every single ledger.

Learn more here: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/blockchain.asp

Finally, votes would be more meaningful if we didn’t have winner-take-all electoral systems. States should instead divide their electoral votes based on Congressional districts like Maine & Nebraska, with the final two electoral votes going to the statewide winner. This helps ensure that rural & urban areas alike are represented in the final electoral tally, giving voters more incentive to participate. Please join me in writing our Representatives and Secretary of State to consider these improvements.

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