Essential Input for Arizona’s Independent Voter
The Issue: Arizona’s rules for voters and candidates who choose not to affiliate with a party cheat Independent Voters and candidates. That must be fixed. Proposed changes are being drafted.
In a Nutshell: Voter Choice Arizona and Save Democracy Arizona will jointly propose a new election system to correct current inequities. It would:
- Make candidate signature requirements uniform irrespective of part affiliation—or none.
- Establish a top five open primary; and
- Use rank choice instant run-off for the general election.
Schedule:
- Signature gathering (389,000+) begins second quarter, 2023;
- Signatures completed in July 2024 for November ballot;
- As many as 600,000 signatures needed to guarantee qualification; and
- Changes take effect for the 2026 election.
Expected Outcomes:
- A more equal competitive opportunity for Independent candidates;
- Interests beyond winners’ bases could get attention;
- Extreme candidates would face greater competition; and
- Increased likelihood of compromises on critical issues.
Examples:
- Alaska—similar (not identical) system successful in 2022;
- Nevada—approved similar system in 2022; confirm in 2024; and
- California, Washington, and Maine have customized systems.
Impediments:
- Legislative intervention already underway with proposed law precluding rank choice voting;
- Vehement opposition by parties if past patterns repeat;
- Legal challenges by partisan interests and major funders, as with past initiatives.
Probable Resulting Governance Environment:
- Controversy and violent disagreement remain;
- Parties’ base supporters continue relentless opposition; yet
- More attention devoted to resolving major issues by compromise and coalition building; and
- Less volatile policy swings accompanying party power shifts, yielding long-term benefits.
Costs of Inaction:
- Increasing partisan “friction” consumes priceless time, wastes public funds, and destroys opportunities with impacts that multiply over time;
- Broadly recognized priority problems continue to fester; and
- Public trust and respect for governance related institutions erode further.
Action: Our Network will not tell you what to think or how to vote. Our mission is to help each of us be more informed voters. Contact these organizations if you wish to support them or get more information:
- Voter Choice Arizona: https://www.voterchoicearizona.org/; 480-757-6855; info@voterchoicearizona.org
- Save Democracy Arizona: https://www.savedemocracyaz.com/; info@savedemocracyaz.com
If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don’t have to worry about the answers.
Thomas Pynchon
Leave a Reply