January, 2005
We need election reform, not a revote
by Chris Smith, Freedom Socialist Party, Seattle
Washington State finally has a governor two months after the November general election. Democrat Christine Gregoire beat Republican Dino Rossi with a microscopic lead of 129 votes on the second re-count. Media headlines alert us daily to the tug of war in this bizarre election. This excruciatingly close contest has at least been clear about two things – there are many problems with the electoral system, and there is a desperate need for a good overhaul.
And you thought the constitution guaranteed everyone voting rights?
The right to vote is fundamental to the U.S. national consciousness and our sense of democracy. But the original U.S. Constitution said almost nothing about who has the right to vote. It was left to each state to determine the nitty-gritty criteria. At first, only white males who owned property and were at least 21 years old could cast a ballot. By restricting voter eligibility, the propertied classes were better able to use the power of the state to protect their interests, control slaves, subjugate women and exploit the relatively new class of workers who had nothing to sell except their labor.
The right to vote was won, not bestowed.
Blood was shed. Untold hours of organizing went into the struggle to extend the right to vote. Intense pressure from 19 th and early 20 th century freed slaves, abolitionists and suffragists forced constitutional amendments so that African Americans and women could vote. The Civil Rights movement of the 1960s slashed at other restrictive regulations such as literacy tests and property qualifications. This was followed by a powerful wave of anti-draft student activism that won another constitutional amendment to lower the voting age from 21 to 18.
More democracy is better policy.
How is it that we have almost no workingclass voices in public office, while the wealthy are so over represented?
Our electoral system is still grossly unfair. Winning ballot access is heavily stacked in favor of the two pro-capitalist parties – Democrats and Republicans – leaving voters no real choice and the alternative parties out in the cold. Recently enacted disclosure laws, established to try to limit big money influence, are misused to intimidate donors to radical parties who face harassment if their names become public. And scores of people, primarily African Americans, immigrants, the homeless, prisoners and ex-felons, are still legally excluded or discouraged from casting their ballot.
Meanwhile, the U.S Senate is one of the most exclusive millionaires clubs in the nation. Candidates running for higher offices rake in millions of dollars from big business. To reflect reality, our government's motto should be updated to “… of the rich, by the rich, and for the rich.”
A revote is not the answer!
As Gregoire slips into the governor's mansion, charges of fraud, human error and voter deception abound. She still faces a possible statewide revote if the Rossi camp wins its pending lawsuit. Granting the Republicans this revote would only disenfranchise everyone who cast a ballot in the larger-than-usual turnout on November 2, 2004. Besides it would cost the state $4 million dollars.
Some practical solutions to fix a broken system.
Voters from Florida to Ohio to our Evergreen State are more and more disillusioned with “democracy” in the USA. So, what's the answer?
Below are some key reforms, not just cosmetic changes, which would resolve the most serious problems with the current electoral system. They will go far to extend voting rights to millions and enable Left and labor candidates to reach a much wider electorate. The Freedom Socialist Party believes that these reforms are worth fighting for because they give us all room to organize for what is ultimately needed – socialism, which is the only way to truly provide democracy for working people.
- Do away with ballot-access hurdles. To increase voters' choices, any individuals or parties that show a modest threshold of support should have ballot status.
- Instant Runoff Voting. Allow voters to rank candidates. If your first choice hasn't enough support to win a majority, your vote doesn't go in the garbage. It transfers to your second favorite, and so on, until there is a majority winner. San Francisco just adopted IRV.
- Proportional Representation. PR is used to elect legislative bodies that are better reflections of the electorate. For example, if a minor party wins 11% of the vote, as FSP candidate Linda Averill did in the 2003 Seattle city council race, they will get a percentage of the seats. This is successfully done in much of Europe.
- Public financing. Eliminate private contributions and give all candidates an equal amount of money so they will have to distinguish themselves by their ideas, not the size of their campaign war chests.
- Free and equal coverage by the media and inclusion of all candidates in public debates.
- Full voter participation. Guarantee voting rights to all adult U.S. citizens. Extend voting rights to prisoners, felons, the homeless and to immigrants – documented or not – who work here, pay taxes and are affected by U.S. laws. Make election day a holiday.
- Foolproof, uniform ballots. Upgrade and standardize the voting process and machines nationally. Create a backup paper system that can verify the vote.
- Dump the Electoral College. Let the popular vote determine the president.
For more information, contact Freedom Socialist Party, Seattle Branch, 5018 Rainier Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98118, 206-722-2453 · fspseattle @ mindspring.com