Search query: missouri

The success of Maine as the first state to use ranked choice voting statewide has brought newfound national attention to ranked choice voting. There’s much to like in this replacement to our fractious, problematic, and outdated plurality voting method. Voters can vote for their top choice without fear of splitting the vote. More candidates and parties can compete without the label of “spoiler.” Campaigns become more civil and less prone to negative attacks. The winner is the consensus, majority

Jefferson City, Missouri - A federal appeals court ruled Friday that a proposed anti-corruption, anti-gerrymandering ballot initiative -- Amendment 1 -- is good to go for the November ballot after a lower court removed it. The decision comes days before the November ballot needed to be finalized to be sent overseas for members of the military and for the first round of absentee ballots. "We are glad the judges saw through the frivolous arguments of the lobbyists who are terrified of letting Mi

On September 15, Cole County Circuit Judge Dan Green removed a people-led reform initiative, Amendment 1, from the November Ballot. Clean Missouri, the group behind Amendment 1, submitted over 300,000 signatures from Missourians who want to fight corruption. Supporters vowed to immediately appeal the decision. Lobbyists and special interests are trying to silence Missourians by stopping us from voting on Amendment 1, but we won’t let them get away with it. Lobbyists in Missouri can give unlimi

What are the main take-aways from the 2018 primary season from an election reform perspective? In summary, some good news, some problems, and some emerging solutions. The good news is that competition and participation both increased significantly in 2018, as more people ran, more people voted, and more primaries actually offered choice to voters. The number of candidates seeking office jumped by 30% compared with 2016, and the percent of primaries that were contested also rose significantly, p

Update 9/17/18:  State Senator Rob Schaaf (R-St. Joseph), former State Senator Jim Lembke (R-Lemay) and former State Senator Bob Johnson (R-Lee's Summit) joined Common Cause in filing an amicus brief Saturday, calling on the courts to let the voters decide on the initiative: "The will of the voters should determine who legislates and what influences legislative decisions. The Clean Missouri initiative seeks to enact this fundamental principle... The voters of Missouri rather than the courts sho

A central element of this remarkable year in election reform has been the pivot of the anti-gerrymandering fight from the courts to the ballot boxes. As has been widely reported, five states vote this year on state constitutional amendments to block partisan gerrymandering and fundamentally change how redistricting is done, far more than in any other year. Ohio approved its amendment in May with 75% support; four others -- Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, and Utah -- will vote in November. Nearly

Political reformers across America are paying close attention to key elections on November 6. But their focus is not on candidates or political parties. It’s about how Americans vote on ballot measures to unrig the system. Here are some highlights: Voters Not Politicians (Michigan) In Michigan, an anti-gerrymandering measure is on the ballot after Voters Not Politicians gathered more than 425,000 petition signatures with only volunteers within just 110 days. The measure creates an independen

In the current political environment, the perception is that there is much that divides Americans. Yet there is one important thing that unites most people across the political spectrum: the idea that America's political system is not working for the people and something needs to change. Donald Trump often uses the term "drain the swamp." Regardless of how one feels about the president as a person or leader, most voters agree with the sentiment -- though are not sold that anyone in Washington w

There is a proposed constitutional amendment that is slated to be on the November ballot in Missouri aimed at eliminating corruption, creating a more transparent legislative process, and ending partisan gerrymandering. However, there are two lawsuits challenging the initiative. Amendment 1 -- brought by the group, CLEAN Missouri -- garnered more than 340,000 signatures to qualify for the November ballot. It was certified by Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft on August 2, but opponents hav

DENVER, COLO. - Unite America, a national organization providing support for independent candidates running for elected office in various states, hosted the first-ever Unite Summit in Denver, Colorado, this past weekend. Attendees came from across the country to hear about the future of the independent movement, as it has come to be called, and what could be done to successfully effect change in American politics. Panels were held and speeches given on running competitive independent campaigns