The Independent View: NV Greater Choice Greater Voice initiative with RCV

Nevadans for Election Reform is a Coalition of Voters and Citizens of All Political persuasions; Democratic, Republican, Non-Partisan, Independent American, Libertarian, Green, and other Parties who are concerned about the Broken Political System, where the Elected Representatives are more focused on the needs of their Political Party and Special Interests than on the Interests of their Constituents.

Doug Goodman, the Founder of Nevadans for Election Reform (NFER), is currently working to Place an Initiative on the 2020 Ballot that would Implement a system of Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV) in Nevada. NFER submitted the Text of the Initiative to the Nevada Secretary of State’s Office on April 5th for Approval. Once that Office Approves the Document, the Group will need to gather some 112,500 Valid Signatures to get the Greater Choice Greater Voice Initiative on the Ballot in 2020.

If the Greater Choice – Greater Voice Initiative were to make it on the Ballot and Pass, it would affect every Election in the State, Federal, State and Local. The only Election it would not affect would be for U.S. President and Vice President, but otherwise there would no longer be Closed Partisan Primaries where a Small Percentage of Respective Party Members choose Candidates for All Voters. Instead, regardless of Party Affiliation, Qualified Candidates would appear on a Single Ballot, and Voters could Vote for their Top-Three.

The Goal at Nevadans for Election Reform is to pass Reforms to their Voting System that ensure All Elections, from City Council to County Commission, from the State Legislature to the U.S. Congress, truly Represent the Voters. All Elections need to be Open, Fair, and Convenient to Participate in. That’s why their Motto is All Voters – All Elections.

Greater Choice – Greater Voice Initiative includes:

- Institute RCV to ensure All Elected Representatives receive either a Clear Majority or a much Broader Plurality of Support from their Constituents and Voters aren’t Forced to Vote for “the lesser of two evils” or Risk acting as a “Spoiler” by Voting their Conscience.

- Lower the Threshold for Minor Political Parties to Appear on the General Election Ballot from 1.0% to 0.5% Support of Voters who participated in the Last Election for the House of Representatives or Registered to Vote as a Member of that particular Party. The threshold for Independent Candidates for Partisan Office will also be lowered to 0.5% of Voters who last Voted for the particular Office when Filing their Petition of Candidacy.

- Eliminate Publicly Financed Primaries saving Taxpayers $3 to $4 Million each Election Cycle while not Infringing on Political Parties’ First Amendment Right of Association and simultaneously maintaining the ability of Independents to Run in the General Election. As many as a Dozen U.S. Cities use RCV, and Maine will use RCV in the 2018 Elections.

Doug Goodman takes politics seriously and ranks his decision to Register as Non-partisan as one of the most significant moments of his life. “In 2010, I made one of the most difficult decisions I’ve had to make in my life,” said Goodman. “That’s when I realized no party was speaking to me, no party represented me, and why was I even bothering. People tell me all the time, why don’t you register in a party to vote in the primary, and I say, ‘you know, I just can’t do that … that’s hypocritical to what I believe.’”

Goodman readily lists many reasons to embrace RCV, but Central among them is the fact that a Small Percentage of Political Party Membership Votes in Primaries and decides which Candidates will appear on the Ballot. “What its going to come down to is 20 percent of the voters are going to decide who the rest of us have to settle for,” said Goodman.

Goodman carefully Studies Voter Registration Data in Nevada and said Voters, especially Young Voters, are Disaffected with the Major Parties, and that the fastest growing Voter Share belongs to those Registering as Non-Partisan. “Every month, Non-partisan is gaining voter share,” said Goodman. “The Democratic Party is losing voter share. The Democratic Party lost a full percentage of voter share last year. The Republican Party was in the same boat, however over the last five or six months, the national party has been spending a lot of money in Nevada. Putting a lot of boots on the ground, data driven, and the Republican Party has actually started to pick up voter share. When you look at the trend, the major parties are losing. When you look at the 18 to 34 year old group, that’s ten percent higher. I mean right now, close to 34 percent of 18 to 34 year olds are not registered to either the Republican or Democratic Party,” Goodman said.

For Goodman, the Non-partisan Vote in Nevada will be Influential in 2018 and beyond given Voter Registration Trends in Nevada. “Where is the voter share percentage of either non-partisan or total not registered to either Democratic or Republican Party … where is it within 5 percent of one of the major parties,” said Goodman. “Right now, 3 of the 4 congressional districts are like that, and in 16 of the 21 Senate Districts is like that, and in 31 of the 42 state Assembly Districts is like that.”

For Advocates of RCV like Doug Goodman, Minor Party Candidates become Relevant and Enrich the Debate. “Under what we’re calling the Greater Choice Greater Voice Initiative, all candidates are in the general election,” said Goodman. “There is no primary. Nice that the state saves three to four million dollars right there, but what also happens is, you’re broadening the debate. You’re broadening the number of ideas that come into play. You’re not marginalizing minor party, independent candidates who may have some good ideas.”

“I’ve gotten some blowback from I’m going to say more from the establishment Democrat side,” said Goodman. “I have not gotten blowback from the GOP side. I’ve not gotten blowback from progressive Democrats. I’ve not gotten blowback from the Libertarian Party. I’ve not gotten blowback from the Green Party.”

Doug Goodman argues RCV will help Reestablish Civility in both Campaigning and Governance. “Rank Choice voting takes the tone of the debate down. Takes some of the negativity out because you’re reaching out to all the voters,” Goodman said.