Elections: Ranked-choice voting is worthy idea

Americans are portrayed as more divided than any time in recent history. Congress’ most recent approval rating, according to a December Gallup poll: 15% of people approve, 82% disapprove and 3% have “no opinion.”

It seems as though we are united in our disapproval.

As long as the congressional incumbency rate stays where it is (90-plus % in recent years) and approval ratings remain dismal, everything points to our democracy not working as intended. And if democracy isn’t working, then neither is America.

Seeing problems is easy, but I ask you to pay attention to solutions as well.

Ranked-choice voting is nonpartisan and unifying. Republican states Alaska and Utah, Purple state Maine, and Democrat states California and New York have all passed ranked-choice voting measures, either for local communities or statewide or national elections.

(In Washington, Pierce County voters adopted ranked-choice voting in 2006 but repealed it in 2009.)

By giving Americans a stronger voice, more choices and a more representative democracy, it would help make all votes count.

I hope we can bring ranked-choice voting to Washington to keep our state a leader in democracy. America is worth fighting for.

This story was originally published January 21, 2021 at 9:42 AM with the headline "Elections: Ranked-choice voting is worthy idea."