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Election Reform Now

Why Colorado Democrats should embrace election reform, how Kent Thiry's proposal suffers a fatal flaw, and what I've written on the topic.

Democrats Should Embrace Election Reform

In my article for the Colorado Times Recorder (also here), I encourage especially Democrats to work on "concrete solutions" to needed election reform. I explain the main problems with the existing rules."

Here I don't get into the problem of party insiders filling legislative vacancies.

I also address the argument that election reform should wait.

A Deal-Breaker Regarding Thiry's Ballot Measure

Here is a detail about Kent Thiry's proposed ballot measure that I have not yet addressed: It would implement reforms by amending the Colorado Constitution (see updates about this).

For the most part, election rules should be statutory, not constitutional. As I have mentioned, the rules in question currently are statutory. See a Secretary of State document for details.

I'm not totally sure about this, but I think that the reforms I favor could all be made at the statutory level. Certainly at least a number of them could be. Insofar as they can be a matter of statute, they should be. Locking these rules away from legislative updating is just a stupid idea. Isn't the entire point to trust representative democracy?

I particularly dislike the idea of locking ranked choice voting in the state constitution, given that a) there are different sorts of ranked choice voting, b) some people have legitimate concerns about ranked choice voting, and c) approval voting is better.

To me, that Thiry's measure seeks to implement the relevant reforms via constitutional amendment is, by itself, reason to vote against it (assuming it makes the ballot for next year).

My Articles on Election Reform

I've been beating this drum for years now. Unlike some of the causes I promote, election reform actually has some realistic chance of happening. I thought it would be useful to round up my articles on the topic. My views have changed somewhat in the details, but I still see the basic problems at work and embrace the same general sorts of solutions.

For better politics, let's separate party and state
Colorado Sun
December 30, 2018
Note: I'm okay with non-party primaries.

Get government out of party primaries
Complete Colorado
March 22, 2022

Time for divorce between government and political parties
Complete Colorado
February 28, 2023

Stop letting party insiders fill legislative vacancies
Complete Colorado
November 14, 2023

Flaws need fixing in Kent Thiry's election ballot measure
Complete Colorado
November 28, 2023

Shocker: Party Insiders Defend Party Privilege Giving political parties special election advantages is morally wrong and anti-democratic.
Colorado Pickaxe
November 29, 2023

No Need to Delay Important Election Reforms
Colorado Times Recorder
December 1, 2023

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