RANKED CHOICE VOTING: Combats ‘massive loss of voting rights’

Do you pay taxes on Income or a primary residence in Idaho?

Do you have an American Social Security number or American birth certificate?

Are you a registered voter in Idaho?  

Do you want to vote for the most competent representative, regardless of political party affiliation?

270,000 Idaho voters who have declared themselves as independents (they do not vote along party lines) get empty ballots in primary elections in Idaho except for non-electorate items like bonds or ballot measures. In past years, a scramble by independents to declare a party change on the day or weeks ahead of the elections was a forced circumvention to regain the right to vote.

In 2019, the majority Republican Party in Boise changed that dynamic to restrict voter party change to one year prior to primary elections. Independent voters who deserve full rights to voting are now forced to lie and cheat to conform to the dominant party dictums a full year in advance. That forced rules of order is as undemocratic as it gets, Mr. Regan. I detest having to lie or deceive myself or others to get my vote recorded.

The MAGA and Idaho Freedom Foundation takeover of Idaho has made Reclaim Idaho and ranked choice voting a political action to combat a massive loss of voting rights. Even the moderate Republicans recognize the need to open elections to all voters, rather than select extremists bent on choking out their opposition.

LYNN FLEMING

Coeur d’Alene