Letter to the Editor of the Everett Herald

Chances are you haven’t heard of Samuel Pierpont Langley, but you likely know the Wright Brothers. Both attempted manned flight. Langley had prestige, degrees and money. The Wright Brothers had each other, an unshakeable conviction in discovery, innovation and human potential. Langley quit when he faced multiple failures. He wanted to win. They wanted to be better.  The right set of values can take humankind to new heights. The wrong set can make sure you never leave the ground. 

Our democracy isn’t measuring up to the values that let us innovate. Money speaks loudly and election structures have trapped voters into choosing “the lesser of two evils” in fear of “throwing away” their votes on fresh voices. Implementing ranked-choice voting is the first step in removing these impediments to stable and fair elections.

RCV paves the way for innovation by freeing voters to choose who they truly believe in and guarantees a true majority win with a clear mandate for candidates. That’s power to the people.

Stand up for your values. Vote for ranked-choice voting. Get your elected officials to do the same. Let’s rebuild and get our democracy back in the air. Not for profit, but for what’s possible

Appeared in the Everett Herald January 17, 2021

https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/ranked-choice-voting-would-provide-stable-fair-elections/?fbclid=IwAR3mrlNdb4KZjZmjXa_SjK17d6nCSzSy-mbkMgbtGi4J1NoZU6E2jINBS8U