Sarah Palin and ranked choice voting

I find the results of this election quite telling, and revealing of the problems with today's GOP and their extreme candidates.

It sounds like people either voted Palin #1, or put her last. There are a few hints that nationally some of the extreme GOP candidates may fail in the general election in the same way in states/districts that are moderate or evenly split.

Just remember, poll after poll shows a strong majority of Americans:
1) Support some kind of abortion rights,
2) Think Trump needs to be criminally investigated,
3) Know the 2020 election was legitimate

Extreme candidates win in districts/states that are gerrymandered, or lean heavily to one party.

Even conservative Kansas rejected further abortion restrictions.

It will be interesting to see what happens in November. The GOP will probably regain seats, but it will be nowhere near what it was in 2010.

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bijouxbroussard · F

I hate ranked choice voting ! It’s the stupidest system, and while it exists here for mayoral and supervisors elections, it’s not, thankfully, been on the ballot for Presidential election. At least not yet, and I hope nobody’s stupid enough to implement it there. A frightening number of people stopped voting when ranked choice was implemented.

BackyardShaman · 61-69, M

I’ve no experience with it and it sounds like a real headache.@bijouxbroussard

bijouxbroussard · F

@BackyardShaman It really is. The first time it was implemented in Oakland folks ended up with a mayor virtually nobody was happy with.

trollslayer · 46-50, M

@bijouxbroussard It would work if people actually considered the candidates on the ballot. But I think people only care about their #1 and don't give any thought to the others. If there were 3 candidates and two were extremes, they would wind up splitting the first and last place votes, and the middle choice would probably wind up winning. The philosophy is to weed out extreme candidates who win "lesser of two evils" elections and give 3rd parties more of a shot. Not saying I agree or that it works.

bijouxbroussard · F

@trollslayer But if I have a candidate I like, I don’t need to consider anyone else. The person with the most votes is supposed to win. I started putting the name of my choice in all three slots.

BackyardShaman · 61-69, M

@bijouxbroussard Agreed, with me I find GOP candidates in no way worthy of consideration and don’t want their ugly names on anything I touch, including my ballots. In the same context, I don’t want the GOP, their supporters, or their fly by night auditors touching my ballots.

trollslayer · 46-50, M

@bijouxbroussard Probably invalidates your ballot. No?

bijouxbroussard · F

@trollslayer That’s would appear to be another means of voter suppression, no ? They changed the process without a means of opting out except to not vote.