Op-Ed: Approval voting will help end the political duopoly
Originally published in The Salt Lake Tribune | Special to The Tribune | May 14, 2021 Imagine you walk into a shoe store and the only two options available are snow boots and flip-flops, and there’s a big sign hanging overhead saying “choose only one.” You would be shocked at both the…
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Utah lawmakers slam the brakes on a plan to expand alternative voting methods
Originally published in The Salt Lake Tribune | Nov. 17, 2021 A Utah legislative committee unexpectedly killed a proposal to expand the menu of election options available to cities under a pilot program begun in 2019. Utah cities can, if they choose, use ranked choice voting for municipal elections. That’s what 23 cities…
Keep readingUtah county clerks say ranked-choice voting elections Tuesday went smoothly, but there’s still an option to be tested
Originally published on KUER | Politics & Government | Nov. 3, 2021 Utah’s November municipal election was a big experiment in ranked-choice voting. About two dozen cities tried it Tuesday and county election officials said the process went smoothly. Ranked-choice voting lets voters choose candidates in order of preference. If no one…
Keep readingRanked choice voting. Passing fad, or here to stay?
Originally published in The Salt Lake Tribune | Nov. 2, 2021 It won’t be smooth sailing for ranked choice supporters next year. Some lawmakers would very much like to repeal the pilot program. Former Rep. Steve Christiansen was working on legislation to eliminate the ranked choice voting and vote-by-mail in Utah. Others…
Keep readingLetter: While ranked-choice stalls out, approval voting gains steam
Originally published in The Salt Lake Tribune | Public Forum | Oct. 26, 2021 You may have seen that the recent ballot initiative which would have implemented ranked-choice voting statewide was withdrawn due to a lack of on-the-ground organization. As disappointing as this may seem to supporters of reforming our election process, there is…
Keep readingIs ranked-choice voting too complicated? Utah lawmakers may let cities experiment with approval voting, too
Originally published on KUER | Politics & Government | Oct. 12, 2021 Utah state lawmakers may add approval voting to a pilot program for municipal elections. Right now, cities are only allowed to try out ranked-choice voting — which lets voters choose candidates in order of preference. If no one gets a…
Keep readingLetter: A ‘Giraffe Party’ can’t emerge without this key voting method
Originally published in Deseret News | Readers’ Forum | Feb 2, 2021 I applaud the enthusiasm Boyd Matheson has for a new centrist party and platform (“A new political home for the ‘moveable middle’: Welcome to the Giraffe Party,” Jan. 20). In a country long admired for the robust competition in its…
Keep readingLetter: Another voting alternative exists — Approval Voting — and we should try it first
Originally published in The Salt Lake Tribune | The Public Forum | Feb. 2, 2021 As the Utah legislative session gets underway, one of the largest discussions centers around alternative voting. There is a push to pass Ranked Choice Voting as the sole voting method in Utah after some cities and parties…
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Op-Ed: We must stop playing politics like chess
Originally published at UtahPolicy.com | Today At Utah Policy | Feb. 2, 2021 Have you ever tried playing chess without taking any of your opponent’s pieces? This question is ridiculous to anyone who has the slightest notion of how chess is played. Chess isn’t a collaborative effort or even a race to…
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Letter: Approval voting can help solve our political problems
Originally published in The Salt Lake Tribune | Public Forum | Feb. 14, 2021 With our country deeply divided over politics, we need to reward leaders who avoid divisiveness and extremism. Unfortunately, our current electoral system rewards extremists who grab attention and promise to fight their political adversaries. One simple change in…
Keep readingApproval Voting Bill On Hold
The bill that would add Approval Voting to the state’s pilot program is being held for now, pending a summer study. Our representatives want to learn more and we’ll be working hard to answer their questions. The Government Operations Interim Committee will decide whether or not to recommend Approval Voting favorably to…
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Approval Voting Bill Introduced in Utah House
Approval voting is officially on the agenda in the Utah House of Representatives. Representative Adam Robertson (R- District 63) has introduced HB0174, initially titled ‘Municipal Instant Runoff Voting Amendments,’ during the 2021 general session of the Utah State Legislature. This bill amends a previous law allowing municipalities to opt-in to a trial…
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