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Independent Voters Alliance (IVA)

A Minor Change in Political Concept, But Profound in the Positive Ways Our Lives Will Be Affected

Why Extreme Voter Apathy?

Voters Don't Matter in Two-Party Politics!!

Closed Primaries Attract Very Few Voters or Poll Workers!! About 70% have no vote in choosing Candidates? Every State!! So 99% Feel Little Connection to Elections or to The Elected! Vote by Mail, everyone?

Open Ballot Access and Equal Political Speech

By Rich Stevenson ©May 20, 2019

Interim Acting Co-Chair of the USAIVA and the Jefferson County KYIVA

Meet the IVA

Tomorrow is Primary Election Day in Kentucky, May 21, 2019. A sad day, with a very low 12% voter turnout expected. No one is excited about being poll workers either, 13 hours work for $200.00. The Primary is 45 Republican Poll workers short in Jefferson County, with 25 calling in to cancel working in the polls for the Republican Party during the few weeks before the election. The Board of Elections is considering an emergency Poll Worker Training to get enough people trained to work the primaries this year.

Very sad indeed. I am registered as an Independent, so have no voice in either closed D or R Primary Election. My brother is registered as an R, but would much rather have a voice in choosing the D opponent to Governor Bevis and Butthead (Bevin), who my brother and I hate for all his radical positions on issues. In the General Election my brother and I will vote for anyone but Governor Butthead (Bevin). For me, I may vote for the Libertarian if he is on the Primary Ballot. I will print up the ballot tomorrow to see if my brother or I have any reason to go vote. Like 88% of voters, we are somewhat likely to not waste our time on voting. An establishment D, or an establishment R who supports Donald Trump, who we both disrespect, give us no choice. Why bother. I have a non-establishment favorite in the Democratic Primary. But I cannot vote in that primary.

Freedom of Choice Blocked: In Kentucky all registered voters are stuck in the party they chose in the previous year. No party changes are allowed during the current election year. Most voters dislike both parties, but are forced to choose D or R if they want to have a vote in at least one of the two primaries allowed in the state. KY law severely restricts voter choices to give complete control and power to the two parties that 99% of the voters do not trust. Little wonder the Closed Primaries attract so few voters and Poll Workers.

We are in the habit of not being involved in closed partisan elections. 70% of eligible voters are not registered D or R. Very few want to give full support to either D or R Party. We would much rather vote in every Primary and General Election that is on the ballot. We want totally Open Elections with no partisan restrictions. When Primary Elections allow every eligible voter to vote we will have a reason to vote. We will attract candidates who better represent the interests of the 99% and the nation. Our votes will then count and we will vote in every election. For now, our elections are sadly unrepresentative.

Make our elections proudly representative in a robustly democratic republic. Enact these three solutions into law in KY and in every state:

Solution 1: Open all KY Primary Elections to every eligible voter. We could have Final Five Open Primaries with Ranked Choice Voting To decide General Elections in all fifty states to give all voters a voice in every election.₁ (A general referendum on every candidate elected.)

Solution 2: Vote-by-Mail!₂ Mail a ballot to all eligible voters in every Primary and General Election in all fifty states. Count 100% of votes from all voters.₃ (A general referendum on every candidate elected.)

If you work the Primary Election polls now, too many workers are processing too few voters, with over half of the time spent doing nothing. (General Election turnout is usually not much better.) Every candidate on the General Election Ballot in November is chosen by these pitiful unrepresentative Primary Elections. A majority of eligible voters do not elect any candidate in Primary or General Elections. Our elections are extremely undemocratic. Voters have no power in our elections. No Voice!! In all fifty states!! Your state included!!

Numbers for voter turnout in Primaries are similar in all fifty states, for much the same reasons. D's and R's do not represent the 99%. The people know they are not represented. As few as 5% vote in Primary Elections. This is the complete reason for Voter Apathy. Why not Vote-By-Mail? Mail a ballot to all eligible voters in all fifty states. Get Out the Vote (GOTV). Occupy Elections. Everybody Vote by mail! Have a voice.