Say ‘no’ to ranked-choice voting initiative

Proposition 1, the Ranked Choice Voting initiative, presents the greatest threat to election integrity in Idaho since its statehood. This expensive, complicated and unnecessary scheme eliminates the time-tested “one person, one vote” method of electing candidates, replacing it with a new and confusing one that is hard to count and even harder to audit after the fact.

That is why I’m pleased to see so many people and organizations standing up to educate voters about why Prop 1 is such a bad idea.

In the past few weeks, we’ve seen groups like Secure Idaho Elections, Idaho Fair Elections and One Person One Vote launch websites, produce videos and send out mailers to inform voters about the dangerous idea on their ballots. Confronting Ranked Choice Voting transcends regular politics.

Anyone interested in preserving confidence in our precious right to vote must unite to fight!

The Idaho Republican Party is on the front lines of this shared battle. We have been producing signs, fliers, and educational materials for more than a year now, delivering the message to as many voters as possible.

You might have seen our latest signs that say, “Don’t Californicate Idaho’s Elections.” I have nothing but love for the tens of thousands of great Republicans who fled California for the Gem State, but people need to know that Ranked Choice Voting is nothing less than a leftist, out-of-state scheme to change the very bedrock of our elections.

Our state office has worked hard to empower every level of the party – legislative, county, and regional committees – to inform the voters in their communities that Ranked Choice Voting is bad news. It’s been so neat to see Republican county committees working hard sharing the truth about Prop 1 and Ranked Choice Voting at our great Idaho fairs.

Ultimately, like any political issue, the battle will be won or lost in the communities and neighborhoods throughout our state. That is where precinct committeemen come in.

The Republican Party is not a top-down organization; rather, it is led by the hundreds of PCs elected by their neighbors every two years. I can send all the mailers in the world, but they won’t have nearly the effect of community leaders sharing information with their neighbors.

I can’t overstate how harmful Prop 1 would be for the people of Idaho. If it somehow passes, it will lead to numerous unforeseen consequences. The result will be even more people tuning out of our elections, rather than the increased participation we all want to see.

Idaho Republicans are united in opposing this terrible idea. Let’s go to the polls this November and defeat Prop 1. Say “no” to Ranked Choice Voting!

-- Dorothy Moon, Idaho GOP chairwoman