[announce-gpco] EXPAND DEMOCRACY: SUPPORT INSTANT RUNOFF VOTING!
Rick VanWie
stacey.rick@juno.com
Sun, 14 Nov 2004 11:20:20 -0500
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Dear Registered Green Party member:
I am the Chair of the Green Party of Colorado Election Reform Committee
as well as the Co-Chair of the Denver Green Party.
Democracy needs your help.
When the United States was founded, Democracy was limited to property
owning, white men. But through two centuries of organizing and struggle,
Democracy was expanded to include those originally left out -- including
women, Indian peoples, African-Americans, and non-property owners.
It's time to continue expanding Democracy.
Reform of the electoral process is part of the platform of the Green
Party of the United States. Over the past few months, the Election
Reform Committee of the Green Party of Colorado has been discussing the
possibility of implementing Instant Runoff Voting in Colorado.
IRV is a ranked system of voting. It allows voters to rank the candidates
on a ballot in order of preference. As the candidates are eliminated, the
voters next choice is counted. This continues until one candidate
receives over 50% of the votes cast. For details, go to the website of
the Center for Voting and Democracy, www.fairvote.org.
This is advantageous in several ways:
1) It greatly diminishes the possibility of a "third party spoiler".
2) It expands Democracy by increasing the opportunity for "third" parties
to get into office.
3) It adds integrity to the voting system by encouraging voters to vote
for a candidate as opposed to against one.
We have recently received encouraging news that one State Senator is
willing to introduce legislation regarding IRV. There is a possibility
that at least one other Senator and one House Member would be willing to
promote legislation as well. Furthermore, Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.
has introduced IRV legislation in the United State Congress.
However, in order to get legislation on the floors of the Colorado House
of Representatives an the Colorado Senate, we need to build a broad-based
coalition of groups and individuals to promote the implementation of IRV.
Therefore, we are calling on all registered Greens in the State of
Colorado to assist with this effort.
In the next week, I will be attempting to contact all GPCO locals via
telephone about this effort. However, you don't have to wait to hear from
your local chapter to start work on this important issue. The following
are things that Green Party members and locals will need to do in order
to begin mobilizing people of all political stripes across Colorado:
FIRST: Go to www.fairvote.org to learn about the basics of IRV -- be sure
to check out some of the links. Print some literature that you can use
and reference.
SECOND: Contact YOUR State Representative and State Senator. Tell them
that there is interest in changing the way Colorado votes. Discuss IRV
and refer them to www.fairvote.org.
THIRD: START MOBILIZING! Contact your Green Party local and tell them
that you want to get started on Instant Runoff Voting. If you are an
elected official, begin mobilizing your constituents who favor IRV. If
you are not an elected official, but are a member of social justice
groups, faith-based organizations, nongovernmental organizations, or any
other group of like minded individuals that may support IRV, then begin
discussing election reform and the introduction of IRV legislation. Ask
these groups what they can do to support IRV in Colorado. (Suggestion:
have the groups have a meeting about IRV; have membership of groups
contact their State legislators individually). Reach out to other "third"
parties and let them know that we are mobilizing.
At the same time, find out about the interest in implementing IRV in your
city or county. Can the introduction of IRV in your community save
resources and money? This is an important part, as successful
implementation of IRV in our communities may contribute to state wide
implementation.
FOURTH: Contact me at stacey.rick@juno.com and let me know who is
supporting you. Is it your State Rep. or Senator? Is a major activist,
faith based or other group ready to be active around this issue?
Within the next two weeks, we will have draft skeletal legislation that
can be used as a point of reference when talking with individuals, other
groups and political parties, as well as your State Representative and
State Senator. This will be posted on a website that will contain other
useful information.
I hope that you can help us in the effort to continue expanding
Democracy.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
Peace, Love and Understanding,
Rick VanWie
Chair, Green Party of Colorado Election Reform Committee
Co-Chair, Denver Green Party
www.denvergreens.org 303-478-1009
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<DIV>Dear Registered Green Party member:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I am the Chair of the Green Party of Colorado Election Reform =
Committee as=20
well as the Co-Chair of the Denver Green Party.</DIV>
<DIV><BR>Democracy needs your help.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>When the United States was founded, Democracy was limited to property=
=20
owning, white men. But through two centuries of organizing and struggle,=20
Democracy was expanded to include those originally left out -- including =
women,=20
Indian peoples, African-Americans, and non-property owners.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>It's time to continue expanding Democracy.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Reform of the electoral process is part of the platform of the Green =
Party=20
of the United States. Over the past few months, the Election Reform=20
Committee of the Green Party of Colorado has been discussing the =
possibility of=20
implementing Instant Runoff Voting in Colorado. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>IRV is a ranked system of voting. It allows voters to rank the =
candidates=20
on a ballot in order of preference. As the candidates are eliminated, the =
voters=20
next choice is counted. This continues until one candidate receives =
over=20
50% of the votes cast. For details, go to the website of the Center for =
Voting=20
and Democracy, <A href=3D"http://www.fairvote.org/">www.fairvote.org</A>. <=
/DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>This is advantageous in several ways:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1) It greatly diminishes the possibility of a "third party spoiler".</=
DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>2) It expands Democracy by increasing the opportunity for "third" =
parties=20
to get into office.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>3) It adds integrity to the voting system by encouraging voters to =
vote=20
<EM>for </EM>a candidate as opposed to <EM>against</EM> one.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>We have recently received encouraging news that one State Senator is=20
willing to introduce legislation regarding IRV. There is a possibility that=
at=20
least one other Senator and one House Member would be willing to promote=20
legislation as well. Furthermore, Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. has =
introduced=20
IRV legislation in the United State Congress.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>However, in order to get legislation on the floors of the Colorado =
House of=20
Representatives an the Colorado Senate, we need to build a broad-based =
coalition=20
of groups and individuals to promote the implementation of IRV. Therefore, =
we=20
are calling on all registered Greens in the State of Colorado to assist =
with=20
this effort.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>In the next week, I will be attempting to contact all GPCO locals via=
=20
telephone about this effort. However, you don't have to wait to hear from =
your=20
local chapter to start work on this important issue. The following are =
things=20
that Green Party members and locals will need to do in order to begin =
mobilizing=20
people of all political stripes across Colorado:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>FIRST: Go to <A href=3D"http://www.fairvote.org/">www.fairvote.org</A>=
to=20
learn about the basics of IRV -- be sure to check out some of the links. =
Print=20
some literature that you can use and reference.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>SECOND: Contact YOUR State Representative and State Senator. Tell them=
that=20
there is interest in changing the way Colorado votes. Discuss IRV and refer=
them=20
to <A href=3D"http://www.fairvote.org/">www.fairvote.org</A>.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>THIRD: START MOBILIZING! Contact your Green Party local and tell them =
that=20
you want to get started on Instant Runoff Voting. If you are an elected=20
official, begin mobilizing your constituents who favor IRV. If you are not =
an=20
elected official, but are a member of social justice groups, faith-based=20
organizations, nongovernmental organizations, or any other group of like =
minded=20
individuals that may support IRV, then begin discussing election reform and=
the=20
introduction of IRV legislation. Ask these groups what they can do to =
support=20
IRV in Colorado. (Suggestion: have the groups have a meeting about IRV; =
have=20
membership of groups contact their State legislators individually). Reach =
out to=20
other "third" parties and let them know that we are mobilizing.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>At the same time, find out about the interest in implementing IRV in =
your=20
city or county. Can the introduction of IRV in your community save =
resources and=20
money? This is an important part, as successful implementation of IRV in =
our=20
communities may contribute to state wide implementation.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>FOURTH: Contact me at <A=20
href=3D"mailto:stacey.rick@juno.com">stacey.rick@juno.com</A> and let me =
know who=20
is supporting you. Is it your State Rep. or Senator? Is a major activist, =
faith=20
based or other group ready to be active around this issue?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Within the next two weeks, we will have draft skeletal legislation =
that can=20
be used as a point of reference when talking with individuals, other groups=
and=20
political parties, as well as your State Representative and State Senator. =
This=20
will be posted on a website that will contain other useful information. </=
DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I hope that you can help us in the effort to continue expanding=20
Democracy.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact=20
me.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Peace, Love and Understanding,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Rick VanWie<BR>Chair, Green Party of Colorado Election Reform=20
Committee<BR>Co-Chair, Denver Green Party<BR><A=20
href=3D"http://www.denvergreens.org/">www.denvergreens.org</A>=20
303-478-1009</DIV></BODY></HTML>
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