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(tl;dr: If you're in a state with closed and/or partisan primaries, that's probably the easiest and highest-impact change - and doesn't require changing voting

(tl;dr: If you're in a state with closed and/or partisan primaries, that's probably the easiest and highest-impact change - and doesn't require changing voting methods. https://ballotpedia.org/Primary_election_types_by_state https://ballotpedia.org/Primary_election_types_by_state has more.) The article discusses two independent changes together: 1. Changing to open, non-partisan primaries (where every voter can vote for any candidate in the primary), and 2. Changing the method by which the winner is chosen. A jurisdiction can move to open, non-partisan primaries without a new voting method. As the article mentioned, Washington did so: https://ballotpedia.org/Primary_elections_in_Washington https://ballotpedia.org/Primary_elections_in_Washington . Other states: https://ballotpedia.org/Primary_election_types_by_state https://ballotpedia.org/Primary_election_types_by_state In terms of making winners better represent the entire electorate, moving to a non-partisan primaries might be the single highest-impact improvement that a jurisdiction can make. It almost certainly is when one considers the chances of the change actually happening (ie, viability). Separately, jurisdictions can elect to change voting methods in elections with more than two candidates. For example, I’m co-leading a campaign to change Seattle's open primaries to use Approval Voting[1], which is on the Seattle ballot as Proposition 1A[2] now. My point is that each of these changes has supporters and detractors, pros and cons. Acting like they both need to be changed at once makes things harder. [1]: https://electionscience.org/approval-voting-faqs/ https://electionscience.org/approval-voting-faqs/ [2]: https://seattleapproves.org/ https://seattleapproves.org/

Overtonwindow 4y ago
I remember in the Atlanta area when Cynthia McKinney was running for reelection, and a large number of conservatives crossed party lines to vote for her opponent, Denise Majette. It upset a lot of Democrats, but the idea of cross primary voting seems to be one that both parties used to undermine the other. That would seem a strike against an open system, especially if you have a party with a larger presence in a district that can negatively disrupt the other party. Of course the idea is to have no parties, but like-minded people coalesce, and it’s nearly impossible to get rid of them. You could try nonpartisan, but with nearly 200 years of a party system, it would be nearly impossible to ever get rid of it. Without infringing on free speech of course
- landemva 4y ago
  > it would be nearly impossible to ever get rid of it. Without infringing on free speech of course. Most State election laws have major/minor party designations which hinder the minor parties. Removing those State law designations would not affect free speech. Maybe you can search your State election law and let us know what you find about things such as donation limits to minor parties.

Overtonwindow 4y ago

I remember in the Atlanta area when Cynthia McKinney was running for reelection, and a large number of conservatives crossed party lines to vote for her opponent, Denise Majette. It upset a lot of Democrats, but the idea of cross primary voting seems to be one that both parties used to undermine the other. That would seem a strike against an open system, especially if you have a party with a larger presence in a district that can negatively disrupt the other party. Of course the idea is to have no parties, but like-minded people coalesce, and it’s nearly impossible to get rid of them. You could try nonpartisan, but with nearly 200 years of a party system, it would be nearly impossible to ever get rid of it. Without infringing on free speech of course

landemva 4y ago
> it would be nearly impossible to ever get rid of it. Without infringing on free speech of course. Most State election laws have major/minor party designations which hinder the minor parties. Removing those State law designations would not affect free speech. Maybe you can search your State election law and let us know what you find about things such as donation limits to minor parties.