How To Win an Election With Rank Choice Voting.. Or Is It?

　
The interesting turn in the 2018 midterm elections wasn't Democrat control of our House of Representatives rather how many of them came to be by a narrow margin and a lack of voter participation. The recent recall and re-win of indicted Fall River Mayor Corriea underscores this. Then again Massachusetts has a history of indicted, on trial and imprisoned Governors, Mayors and other representatives serving time while serving in government.


The election of Ocasio Cortez is interesting. Only 27,744 out of 214,750 registered Democrats showed up on election day. Cortez won by 4000 votes. This was claimed by Leftist Media as a victory.

Over what? How NOT to win and election? Or, is it?

In Fall River roughly 13,000 showed up to vote for five candidates. Correia won the majority at 35%.

4,200 out of a city population of 190,000 voted for an indicted Mayor. I have no idea how many are registered to vote in FR. That does not matter. Stay focused on the 13,000 number.

Trust me, its gets better.

61% of voters petitioned for the recall. What is not clear is: Was this 61% of ALL voters or just those who bothered to sign the petition? Then, on the same day only 13,000 showed up to select six candidates where the indicted Mayor ends up winning?

Advocates of Rank Choice Voting claim this will be avoided with RCV in elections. How?

Well, that's all well and good if people actually showed up to vote. But RCV does not address this 800 lb gorilla in the room. According to RCV if we 'ranked' the candidates in Fall River then possibly (operative word) Fall River could have elected a lesser known (or liked) candidate who received a more dismal number of votes... Because you 'ranked' them, or (in other words) you got to vote 2-3-4-5 times.

A Democrat's dream come true!

The problem isn't the system. It's not even a 'plurality' of parties. The problem is people couldn't care less. The problem is people DO NOT participate!

Cortez won a very small number from her District. It surely does not represent the majority of voters. It just represents who bothered to show up. We must be clear on this. RCV and their various web sites, Fairvote.com and the Mass affiliation never address this issue.

What is also never addressed is how the votes are tabulated and how the magical number of 50 plus 1 % is determined? Also, how is the number determined to eliminate the candidate who does not get enough of a percentage? And what is disregarded is once that candidate is eliminated RCV takes your rankings. So, YOU lose but your voters who decided they might like some one else (though they don't hold my political beliefs) is carried over.

How does it feel to be used?

Yes, you are used.

RCV claims to welcome all candidates from all affiliations while at the same time speaking out against 'spoiler' candidates. What the hell is that anyways? How is it that some one who chooses to run for office under whatever party they claim to be is some how a 'spoiler'? Are you insinuating that a certain person has no right to run for office? We are a Constitutional Republic. Any one from any party has every right to toss their hat into the ring regardless of party. If people want to vote for that person that is their right.

Voting for a candidate is a vote against another candidate... That's how elections work!

Speaking of Constitutional Republic; On all the RCV sites you will see the word 'Democracy' in reference to our system of voting and our form of government. While local elections do vote by majority we are NOT a Democracy. If RCV cannot get our most basic system of governing straight then how can we depend on them to ensure and institute a fair and equitable system of voting?

If you want to fix the system? Get people to show up on election day.

.... And That Is The Diatribe....