WATCH: Want to Expand Voter Rights? Support Ranked Choice Voting

image
Published: 13 Jun, 2017
Updated: 17 Oct, 2022
1 min read

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItsE_Xk-Z_s

Video Credit: VoterChoiceMA, June 9, 2017

Voter Choice Massachusetts Executive Director Adam Friedman made one thing clear to Massachusetts Democrats: If you support protecting and enhancing voter rights, you should support ranked choice voting.

"Do you support voting rights and voter empowerment? Do you support inclusion, diversity, and unity for the party and for the United States of America? If you support these things, you should support ranked choice voting," says Friedman.

Friedman gave his remarks on the convention floor of the 2017 Massachusetts Democratic Convention. His goal was to convince the 4,500 delegates present to vote in support of ranked choice voting.

And his speech may have had a huge impact. The Massachusetts Democratic Party voted Saturday to add an amendment to the party's new platform supporting ranked choice voting.

According to FairVote, 3 bills were introduced in the Massachusetts General Court in 2017.

"SD 485 would allow cities and towns to incorporate ranked choice voting, while HB 2897 would do the same for certain municipalities," reports FairVote. "The latter already has thirty-one cosponsors. In addition, HB 377 would enable ranked choice voting for all statewide offices."

IVP Donate

According to FairVote, "ranked choice voting is used to elect city officers in 11 cities today, with two cities awaiting implementation as soon as voting equipment is ready."

Additionally, Maine voters approved the implementation of ranked choice voting in November 2016 for all statewide and congressional races.

Maine lawmakers, however, may soon go against the will of their voters after the state Supreme Court issued a non-binding opinion that ranked choice voting was in conflict with a state constitutional provision that deals with 3 state general elections.

Yet the Maine Supreme Court did not find a constitutional conflict with primary and federal elections -- most elections under ranked choice voting.

Photo Credit: Steve Heap / shutterstock.com

Latest articles

Trump Trush Social Post on Colbert
Will Politics Kill Late Night TV?
Stephen Colbert’s Late Show is ending after nearly a decade at the top of the ratings. CBS insists t...
18 Jul, 2025
-
3 min read
Ronald Reagan
Just Say No: The Political Hit Job That Killed Cannabis
As cannabis use became more common in the late 1970s, the backlash grew even stronger. A political and religious conservative resurgence was underway after years of liberal ascendancy. That wave would soon bring former California Governor Ronald Reagan to the White House....
18 Jul, 2025
-
8 min read
Political cartoon of a person representing partisanship, unions, the Democratic Party, and Special Interests taking a bite out of New York.
Mamdani, Lander, and Other Partisan Extremists Just Took a Bite Out of NYC’s Democracy
The partisans, unions, and party bosses have won again. Independents, veterans, working people, young people and democracy have lost again. ...
18 Jul, 2025
-
2 min read