John E Palmer - Independent Voter News

Don’t Kill Top Two. Upgrade It: A Smarter Way to Elect California’s Governor

The answer to today’s crowded field is not retreat. It is modernization. Instead of empowering party gatekeepers, we can empower voters with more choice, less vote splitting, and majority-supported outcomes.

By

John E Palmer

/ March 3, 2026

Demonstrators outside the California State Capitol debate the Top-Two primary system during the California governor race, highlighting election reform and voter choice issues.

Alaska's New Primaries: An Antidote to Polarized Election Results

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in The Fulcrum, and has been republished on IVN with permission from the publisher. John E Palmer is chairman of Rank the

By

John E Palmer

/ January 23, 2024

Alaska's New Primaries: An Antidote to Polarized Election Results

Kanye West is the Poster Child for Our Need to Fix an Easily Manipulated Voting System

The election shenanigans surrounding Kanye West should be the poster-child for our need to fix an easily-manipulated and broken voting system. Soon after the revelation that the GOP had its

By

John E Palmer

/ August 16, 2020

Kanye West is the Poster Child for Our Need to Fix an Easily Manipulated Voting System

Why The Maine GOP's Biggest Argument Against Ranked Choice Voting is a Lie

After failing to submit enough valid signatures for a People’s Veto, Maine’s Republican bosses are again trying to kill ranked-choice voting (RCV). In this case, the GOP leadership

By

John E Palmer

/ August 6, 2020

Why The Maine GOP's Biggest Argument Against Ranked Choice Voting is a Lie

OPINION: Maine GOP's Hypocrisy on Ranked Choice Voting

Consider this voting method: “If, on the first ballot, no one candidate receives a majority of the votes cast, the candidate receiving the least number of votes shall be eliminated…

By

John E Palmer

/ July 29, 2020

OPINION: Maine GOP's Hypocrisy on Ranked Choice Voting

Don't Blame Justin Amash. Just Fix the System That Broke Him

This article first appeared on The Fulcrum Shouted down as a "spoiler" for three weeks after announcing he was getting ready to run for president as a Libertarian,

By

John E Palmer

/ May 22, 2020

Don't Blame Justin Amash. Just Fix the System That Broke Him

Money and Politics: Why Small Businesses Should Fight to Unrig the System

As we close out November each year, America celebrates Small Business Saturday — where we are encouraged to patronize small brick-and-mortar retail stores during the busiest shopping weekend of the holiday

By

John E Palmer

/ December 2, 2019

Money and Politics: Why Small Businesses Should Fight to Unrig the System

In Maine: Partisan Hypocrisy Protects Minority Rule in Governor's Race

In November, Mainers will vote for governor. Recent poll results show four candidates splitting the vote. Talk of “spoilers” is rearing its ugly head, again.

By

John E Palmer

/ August 21, 2018

In Maine: Partisan Hypocrisy Protects Minority Rule in Governor's Race

In November, Mainers will vote for governor. Recent poll results show four candidates splitting the vote. Talk of “spoilers” is rearing its ugly head, again. Rather than discussing all of

By

John E Palmer

/ August 21, 2018

In Maine: Partisan Hypocrisy Protects Minority Rule in Governor's Race

OPINION: A Periodic Come-From-Behind Win with Ranked Choice Voting Is The Whole Point

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF.- The San Francisco mayor’s race was a cliffhanger. After the initial tally of votes for San Francisco mayor, London Breed had 37%, Mark Leno had

By

John E Palmer

/ June 22, 2018

OPINION: A Periodic Come-From-Behind Win with Ranked Choice Voting Is The Whole Point

The San Francisco mayor’s race was a cliffhanger. After the initial tally of votes for San Francisco mayor, London Breed had 37%, Mark Leno had 24%. Then ranked-choice voting’s instant runoffs kicked in...

By

John E Palmer

/ June 22, 2018

Top 2 to Top 5? New Ranked Choice Voting Option on the Table

Mainstream business experts in America are waking up to the failure of our country’s political system.

By

John E Palmer

/ March 20, 2018

Top 2 to Top 5? New Ranked Choice Voting Option on the Table