Following is a proposed framework for a reformed electoral system. I'm sure there are holes in it, but I think it offers a better system for a fair playing field while maintaining the protections of the old system. It also allows for a disruption of a two-party dominated system and incentivizes voter participation.
It would of course require a large grassroots effort to codify it, or something like it into law, but if there is one thing we can agree on as a nation at this tumultuous time, it is we are not happy with the way our political system is currently working.
I welcome your feedback.
•Electoral delegates to be replaced by electoral points system.
The formula should be determined by an appointed non-partisan committee of statisticians in order to assign each state a number derived by population and weighted to prevent any candidate from running the board by appealing to isolated demographics. This replaces the function of the Electoral College in protecting against a “tyranny of the majority”. The number of points should be a high one, probably in the thousands, as will be made clear. The number of points shall be revised according to the formula during the first non-election year following a new census.
•Constitutionally provisioned open primaries.
(I'm not totally sure about this format. Might need some tweaking)
All primary elections to be held on the same day, as elections are now, including early voting and mail-in ballots. Ideally on a Monday or a Friday and made a national holiday. Any political party that meets required criteria shall be placed on a single, standardized ballot. All registered voters may participate and vote for a candidate in any party. Voters may cast for multiple candidates, but may only vote for one candidate per party and must do so in a “ranked choice” manner,
i.e. 1st choice, Kang-D, second choice: Kodos-L, third choice Wiggins-R, et cetera.
Winners in each party to be determined by a weighted addition of votes, with 1st choice given highest weight, et cetera. Winner from each party to be granted all of each state’s electoral points to be applied to national tally toward nomination. i.e.: if a state is worth 1,000 electoral points, the winner of each party to be granted 1,000 points toward national tally. Greatest point holder in each party to move forward to general election.
This simplifies the primary process, avoids confusion and evens the playing field as states are not vying for an earlier place in line to have a greater influence upon the primary.
•General election to follow “ranked choice” format
Voters able to select any number of candidates and rank them in order of preference, as in the example above. Tabulation to follow “instant runoff” protocol to eliminate candidates from the least popular up to the winner.
•Electoral points to be allotted on a proportional basis and according to voter turnout.
Electoral points are awarded on a state by state basis, but proportional to the number of votes each candidate received. Points are also awarded based on voter turnout. i.e. if a state is worth 2,000 points, but only 50% of registered voters cast a ballot, only 1,000 points are divided up among candidates according to the percentage of votes they received. This is why it’s important that point values be high, as to be easily divided among multiple candidates after being adjusted for voter turnout.
This eliminates “safe states” and “swing states”, forces candidates to court votes in all areas and incentivizes voter participation. Minority voters in what were formally “Red” or “Blue” states are encouraged to vote as all votes count toward their preferred candidate. Voters as a whole are encouraged to vote as the only way candidates can benefit from the full electoral value of a state is if all registered voters participate. The end is simple, the candidate with the most points wins.
