This week a Panel of Federal Judges attempted to speed up the game and create a Fair Playing Field. When a Federal Court Invalidated the North Carolina's GOP-Leaning Congressional Map as an Unconstitutional Partisan Gerrymander, once again, the Judges also opened the door to an Unusual Remedy. The Court suggested it might demand a New Map for this Fall’s Elections, even though Election Day looms just 10 Weeks away.
It’s a necessary step if North Carolina wants a Congressional Delegation that Reflects the State’s closely Divided nature. Without this action, it would be easy for Republicans to Exploit the Slow-Moving Legal Process, Appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, and likely maintain a 10-3 Advantage in the U.S. House through 2020.
This bold move would also create Challenges. Both Parties have selected Candidates. Nominees have spent months competing for Votes. Would a New Map require entirely New Nominees from entirely New Districts? Would the same Candidates run in the New Districts with the Same District Numbers? The Court suggested the General Election could be turned into a “Do-Over” Primary using New Maps, with another Election after that.
There is a better Solution that would not require New Primaries, or force a Low-Turnout, High-Stakes Special Election amidst Holiday Distractions. North Carolina should adopt Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV) for this November’s Congressional Elections.
RCV is easy to use and mimics a Runoff Election. Voters Rank Candidates in Order of Preference. If One Candidate has a Majority after the First Round, He or She Wins. If no one has more than 50%, the Candidate with the Fewest Votes is Eliminated, and those Votes are instantly Reallocated to the Voters’ Second Choice. The “Instant Runoff” continues until someone crosses 50% and the remaining Votes won't change the Results.
Say two Republicans and three Democrats sought a Congressional Seat from a New District this Fall. Voters could simply Rank them one through five. Let Everyone Run. The Instant-Runoff Procedure would winnow the field Automatically, ensuring that the Candidate with the Widest support Won, and that a Crowded Field didn’t create a Plurality Winner representing an Extreme Base of either Side.
New Maps present Challenges, yes, but they’re worth Solving if the Result is a more Representative Delegation.
North Carolina has become Infamous as the State where Majority-Rule, is deeply Imperiled.
Using RCV allows North Carolina a Place on the Leading Edge of Change.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
No comments:
Post a Comment