Rank-choice voting is over 154 years old and has been used successfully throughout the world and presently in two U.S. states and four large U.S. cities.
Yes, it will take some absolute power away from the two major political parties, but they have diverged to extremes. RCV gives voters an opportunity to move their support to candidates closer to a centered position.
On the Colorado League of Women Voters’ website they state their support for Prop 131 for the following reasons:
Prop 131 is appropriately a statutory change, not a constitutional change; the legislature may pass bills to improve upon Prop 131 if needed.
Under the current system, the primary is often the decisive election, and partisan primaries purposefully exclude voters. Primary elections typically have low turnout. Democracy is best achieved through more voter participation. By allowing all voters (regardless of party affiliation) to participate in both the primary and the general elections and by making a competitive general election the decisive election, all voters will be empowered.
If two candidates from the same dominant party compete against each other in the general election, the contest is likely to be much more engaging for voters accustomed to current safe-for-one-party elections. The use of Instant-Runoff Voting will allow people to express their preferences more effectively.
I hope you will join the LWV and me in supporting Proposition 131! Thank you.
Paula Frease, Estes Park