Port Chester, NY Adopts Cumulative Voting and Other Landmark Reforms
Port Chester, NY has adopted several new changes to provide more power to their voters. The village will take advantage of this historic reform on June 15 when voters choose the village’s board of trustees. For the first time, Port Chester voters will be empowered to:
- Elect every member of the village’s board of trustees at the same time. Previously, voters elected only two members.
- Vote up to a week before Election Day. Port Chester is the first New York State community to enable an early voting option to increase turnout.
- Allocate their six votes for the board of trustees as they wish. Before, voters could only give one vote to each candidate. With cumulative voting, Port Chester voters have the freedom to cast more than one vote for their favorite candidate.
Cumulative voting is the kind of reform that empowers voters, while providing independent candidates a level playing field. This system increases the opportunities for more diverse representation on the board. Port Chester’s election reform also establishes a precedent, and we hope other New York villages will follow their lead. And with the convenience of early voting, higher turnout is a given.
Oklahomans for Ballot Access Reform (OBAR) to Hold Press Conference Monday, April 12
An OBAR press conference is scheduled for Monday, April 12 at 12:30 p.m. Held on the first floor rotunda of the Oklahoma State Capitol building, national Libertarian Party Chair William Redpath will personally ask state lawmakers for fair ballot access laws and discuss his support of House Bill 1072.
According to an OBAR press release, Redpath will join Rep. Charles Key (R-Oklahoma City), and Sen. Randy Brogdon (R-Owasso). Redpath will then accompany former Edmond Senator Mark Snyder, a lobbyist for OBAR, on a “meet-and-greet” tour of the Capitol to speak with lawmakers about ballot access reform.
Oklahoma has the highest new party signature requirement in the nation. House Bill 1072, authored by Key and sponsored by Brogdon in the Senate, would lower the number of petition signatures needed for state recognition of a new political party. The bill passed both houses of the legislature last year with a combined vote of 132-5. A conference committee is currently working to reconcile differing proposals for a new signature requirement.
“Oklahoma is ripe with self-identified Libertarians, Greens, Constitutionalists and others who would welcome the chance to vote that way if they were given the option,” said Angelia OʼDell, chair of OBAR and the Oklahoma Libertarian Party.
Louisiana Bill Could Worsen an Already Unfair System
According to a Ballot Access News article, the Louisiana House and Governmental Affairs Committee passed HB 292 unanimously yesterday. Authored by Rep. Hunter Greene (R-Baton Rouge), this bill would convert congressional elections from a semi-closed system, to a “top-two” system. As we have warned before, the anti-choice Top Two initiative in California is already inspiring other states to limit their own voters’ choices. If Top Two passes, we will have to fight bills like this one across the entire country.
Big Business Continues to Contribute Big Money to Support California’s Proposition 14
In just the last week, $135,000 has been contributed to support California’s version of Top Two, Proposition 14. The new supporters are Charles B. Johnson (chairman of Franklin Resources), Brian L. Harvey (president of Cypress Land Company), and California Business PAC, sponsored by the California Chamber of Commerce.
Free & Equal and Stop Top Two are working tirelessly to communicate the damage that Proposition 14 would do to voter rights. With your help, we can stop this measure and continue our mission to restore fair and equal elections throughout this great country.
