Let’s make all votes count in DC!

We can change the game and make politicians work for everyone.

We’re a group of neighbors starting the process of letting DC residents vote on whether to make all votes count in DC. This initiative, if we get on the ballot and neighbors vote to approve it, would implement ranked choice voting and end voter disenfranchisement for nearly 75,000 independent voters in DC.

Read below for more on what Ballot Initiative #83 would do if passed, and more about ranked choice voting and opening the primaries to independent voters.

READ THE TEXT OF BALLOT INITIATIVE #83
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WHY RANKED CHOICE VOTING?

Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) allows you the option to rank your favorite candidates: first, second, third, fourth, fifth. Your vote stays with your first choice unless they are in last place, when your vote automatically moves to your next choice. You do not have to rank more than one candidate.

When the ballots are counted, if a candidate receives more than half of the first choices, that candidate wins.

However, if no candidate gets more than half the first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is removed. If you picked that candidate first, then your vote goes to your next choice. You only have to rank your choices once – this counting process continues automatically until a candidate wins with more than 50% of the vote.

Ranked Choice Voting is already used for statewide elections in Alaska and Maine, and local elections in more than 50 cities and counties including New York City; San Francisco; Takoma Park, Maryland; Arlington, Virginia; and Oakland, California.

Ranked Choice Voting Has Proven Results:

WHY OPEN UP DC’S PRIMARY ELECTIONS TO INDEPENDENT VOTERS?

The District of Columbia has what are called “Closed” Primary Elections. Only voters registered with a political party can vote in the Primary Election.

Currently there are nearly 75,000 (16%) independent voters in the District of Columbia who do not belong to a political party. This excludes these voters from being able to participate in DC’s most contested election: the Primary Election.

This amounts to voter suppression and we can change this by opening up DC’s primary elections to ALL registered voters.

Opening the primaries to independent voters will allow the 2nd largest voting bloc in DC to participate in primary elections of their choice for all offices other than party offices.  It will not allow voters that are members of existing political parties to vote in a different party’s primary election.

Here’s how it would work: Prior to a Primary Election, independent voters would contact the DC Board of Elections and choose a party to vote in for that election.  When the voter receives their ballot in the mail or show up to vote, their ballot will be for whichever party they have choosen for that election cycle.

Latest from the Campaign:

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READ THE TEXT OF BALLOT INITIATIVE #83
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