More and more voters are voicing their disgust with the Pick-a-Party Primary. Some are angry that taxpayers are footing the bill for a primary for only two parties. They would like to spend the $3 million on other things, like health care.
A large number are upset that they must declare themselves to be a Republican or Democrat in order for their vote to count. Some independents and third party members would like to be included in any voting - and even independent-minded Democrats or Republicans want to express their real choice for any given office.
There is also the issue of media coverage often stopping after a primary in a race where the only real opposition to an established Republican or Democrat is an independent or third party candidate.
It is now clear to most voters that we need a better solution. The Grange has pushed for a Top-Two primary in the past, but the only way around the legal tangle resulting from the Big Two party's lawsuit may result in the top two winners appearing on the final ballot to be from the same party, a non-solution for sure.
Third parties have been pushing for a real solution: Instant runoff voting. This method is used in Australia, San Francisco and various other places, and may become the norm in Tacoma.
Imagine if you could recycle your vote. Say six people are running for the same office. You agree completely everything one stands for, almost everything another stands for. You could live with the representation of the third, but you don't like the fourth, can't stand the fifth and never heard of the sixth. Wouldn't it be great to be able to vote for your favorite candidate, then, if they lose, to recycle your vote to your next favorite, and so on?
Other nice things about this way of voting are that there are no spoilers. The winner has to get more than 50 percent of the vote, you can vote for whoever you want, not whoever is most likely to win. And we skip the primary, saving millions to use for something else.
Our state legislature has been presented with this idea for years. But elected officials tend to support the system by which they were elected. They also look at voting results to see what kind of support pro-instant runoff voting candidates receive. This is one reason voters should vote in favor of the changes they want for the system. It holds us back to vote for those who fear change. Election reform needs to move forward. You can help it by supporting instant runoff voting.
Linde Knighton is co-chair of the Washington state Progressive Party. She's the Progressive Party's candidate for the state legislature in the 43rd District.
She can be reached at editor@ capitolhilltimes.com
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