PROP 1: Complex, costly and error-prone

As an Idaho voter, don’t you want the candidates for whom you vote to win in a fair and trusted process? Proposition 1 will take away a simple and transparent voting process that has worked for Idahoans for decades.

If you haven’t yet voted, here are several things to consider about Prop 1: 

• Prop 1 would implement ranked-choice voting in Idaho, an election system that is confusing and nearly impossible to audit. It requires complex calculations and multiple rounds of voting, making it almost impossible to trust election results. 

• Ranked-choice voting is error-prone. For example, an Oakland school election used ranked choice voting a few years ago. Officials tabulated the vote incorrectly and declared the wrong candidate the winner. Only after a lengthy and costly court battle did the actual winner end up in office. 

• Speaking of costly, Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane says Prop 1 implementation would cost Idahoans up to $40 million. When Alaska implemented ranked-choice voting, the state had to spend millions of dollars educating voters on the new voting process. 

• Finally, Prop 1 encourages candidates to lie to voters. Prop 1 would allow candidates to list any party affiliation on the ballot, regardless of their actual affiliation.  

I think Idaho Senator Russ Fulcher said it best: “Voting should be simple, transparent, and trustworthy. Ranked-choice voting is none of these.” 

I’m voting against Prop 1 to maintain trust in Idaho elections. I hope you will vote “No” on Prop 1, too. 

BRENDA CAINE 

Coeur d’Alene