Must Change Processes for Better System

By John Kabat, Letter to the Editor

If we truly want to improve our democratic voting operations we should contemplate the following:

Pass Clean Money campaigns in all states so that the playing field is level for all deserving candidates, and that corrupting money issues will not impede our legislators nor hold them hostage to special-interest lobbies and fund-raising activities.

Permit instant runoff voting to become the acceptable norm in state and federal elections so that we can legitimately offer third-party candidates without voters "throwing away votes" because their candidate is not a representative of the popular two-party system.

Voters could select their two favorite candidates, and if their third-party candidate fails to obtain a majority vote or comes in third or fourth in the election, the second-choice vote could be counted and given to one of the two remaining candidates if a majority vote wasn't achieved by either of the front-runners.

This would create an opportunity for the election to be decided by a majority vote rather than a plurality vote, which occurs all too often in recent elections.

Change the national day of voting to a Saturday rather than the present first Tuesday (after the first Monday) in November. This would permit more people to vote as it would not interfere with their busy workday obligations.

Public school facilities could conduct classes and voting business without having to close as is presently practiced in large cities.

Avoid e-voting machines and vote absentee ballot until these machines are imperious to hacking.

John Kabat
San Ramon

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