Montana Senator Greg Hertz (R-Polson) has introduced SB 566. Hertz is also the author of SB 565, which attacks ballot access directly. SB 566 sets up a top-two system, but only for U.S. Senate and only for 2024. On April 3 the bill passed the Senate State Administration Committee and passed the State Senate on second reading, by 27-23. It is not officially through the Senate until it passes on third reading, but generally the second reading vote and the third reading vote are identical. The bill will probably pass the State Senate on Tuesday, April 4. UPDATE: it passed the Senate on April 4, 27-23.
Hertz openly states that the purpose of imposing a top-two system for just one office is to keep the Libertarian Party off the ballot for that office in 2024. He says he wants the winner to receive a majority of the vote in the general election, but he could do that either by an old-fashioned general election runoff (as done in Louisiana and Georgia), or by implementing ranked choice voting.
The Libertarian Party is perceived as having cost the Republicans a U.S. Senate seat in Montana in 1996, 2006, and 2012. Democrats won all three times with a plurality vote. Of course, no one knows who the Libertarian voters would have voted for if they had not been able to vote for the Libertarian.
Ranked Choice would help the Democrats which is why Richard Winger keeps pushing it.
Alaska is the prime example why ranked choice is evil. It helps communists.
Steve and Phil make great points. I have nothing to add.
I would add an amendment banning George Soros and his dark money for allowing to donate money or good or services.
Top-two is a cure that is worse than the disease.
Where is AZ and his nonsense? I need a laugh from the mental case.
How about trying precinct captains like someone here proposed?
I’m for it.
It is becoming clear that some folks don’t understand that the REAL problem with the method used in Alaska was the fact the the open primary denied the parties the right to name their own candidates, NOT ranked choice voting.
False. Look at Maine and lots of other places.
No, ranked choice was the problem. Most places it is implemented the Democrat wins. That’s a fact. It’s just a ploy to get more communists in office. Alaska is the most obvious recent example.
Rick is right!!
I bet George Soros supports ranked choice voting.
No doubt. Suckerberg and all the other happy merchants joggers must support it too.
Yes. look at Maine. They did it right. Ranked choice voting, by district.. The Republicans won an electoral vote that they would would not otherwise have won.
If ranked choice voting, by district, is used for the Presidential election in swing states like PA, MI, WI, GA, and AZ, the Republicans would win more electoral votes.
And, if PROPORTIONAL ranked choice voting is used in blue states like CA, NY, IL and MA, the Republicans would win electoral votes they they could never win otherwise.
Ranked choice voting is NOT a problem for Republicans. Open and top-x primaries ARE the problem.
If this does pass Democrats will still attempt to cheat.
Baloney. It’s there because leftards don’t love having the great Paul LePage as governor.
FemoRats always cheat no matter what. This would only make it worse!
Ranked choice voting by district minimizes the effect of fraudulent voting.
Take Pennsylvania. With district voting, the Democrats can stuff all the ballot boxes that they want in Philly; it will only win them a handful of electoral votes from just a few districts. Meanwhile, the Republicans would sweep most of the other districts in PA.
You so Cray Cray. President Trump is against it. He said it. That settles it.
“…He says he wants the winner to receive a majority of the vote in the general election…”
From the Heritage Foundation:
The Founders were determined to forestall the inherent dangers of what James Madison called “the tyranny of the majority.” So they constructed something more lasting:
A Duopoly.
Oh wait.
NOW –
TYRANNY OF THE MINORITY — TOP GERRYMANDER OLIGARCHS AND THEIR TYRANT MONARCH BOSSES.
—–
PR
APPV
TOTSOP
any analysis of top 3/4/5/N re 3rd parties/indes RCV moved votes ???
AK 2022 ?? etc ???
IE — LP 1st choice votes then x pct of them for Dem or GOP ???
Whatevs Andy Z. just muttered, I guess? Well probably not, but of course I agree with TRUMP.