21Dems General Meeting September 20, 2023
Mukilteo City Hall (in person)
Notes – Peter Henry, Secretary.
View only link:
Agenda
- Call to order
- Presentation – Fair Vote Washington
- Candidate statements
- New Business
- Good of the Order
- Adjournment
20 members and guests including 2 via Zoom. 14 voting members (per Sharon Holt).
Call to Order 7:05
Eric Bidstrup – Fair Vote Washington
Ranked choice voting (aka instant runoff voting)
Washington HB 1592 would adopt RCV for Presidential primaries starting 2028
Questions:
Why did Pierce County first adopt RCV but then repeal it?
-Technology challenges, cost, an unpopular candidate won (they would have won anyway)
Here is a link to an article that explains RCV, including the Pierce County controversy:
To comment on the bill:
Quorum check (12 voting members required).
Candidates
Chris Eck – Edmonds City Council Pos. 1
-We really need help! Please reach out to at least 10 people in Edmonds to support Chris, Susan Paine, Mayor Mike Nelson.
Riaz Khan – Mukilteo City Council
-Please help our Democratic candidates!
Susanna Johnson (volunteer speaking on her behalf) https://susannajohnsonforsheriff.com/
Richard Emery – Mukilteo City Council
Charles Atkins – Everett School Board pos. 5
New Business
Riaz Khan – Motion to rescind endorsement of Richard Emery; postponed from July meeting.
It was carried forward so we don’t need a second (it was seconded by Richard Liu).
Sharon Holt reviewed debate rules
Motion fails via raised hands
Thom Garrard – Resolution to request Washington State Legislature enact ranked choice voting for presidential primary
Motion to pass resolution – Heather, seconded by Thom
Motion passes via raised hands, 11 – 0
Ranked Choice Voting for Presidential Primaries
Whereas 25% of washington State’s Democratic presidential primary voters effectively “wasted” their vote in 2020, because they cast their ballot for a candidate who dropped out of the race before election day (1, 2);
Whereas Washington State had the highest rate of “wasted” votes in the nation (3);
Whereas Ranked Choice Voting solves this problem of wasted votes by allowing voters to list their backup choice in case their first choice drops out or doesn’t reach the threshold for allocating delegates;
Whereas the Democratic National Committee approved every Ranked Choice Voting delegate selection plan submitted in the most recent presidential cycle, and Maine is compelled by sate law to use Ranked Choice Voting in their 2024 state-run presidential primary; and
Whereas the Washington State Democratic Party Platform calls for “ranked choice primary voting to be implemented to determine the two candidates who advance to the general election for federal, statewide, legislative, and local offices;”(4)
Therefore, be it resolved that the 21st legislative District Democrats call on the Washington State Legislature to enact legislation that will allow voters to rank their choices in the presidential primary, and
Be it further resolved that copies of this resolution be sent to the Washington State Democratic Central Committee, to our representatives in the legislature, to the Secretary of State, and to the Governor.
- https://ballotpedia.org/Presidential_election_in_Washington,_2020
- Only Biden (37.9%), Sanders (36.4%), and Gabbard (0.8%) were still in the race on March 10, 2020 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Democratic_Party_presidential_candidates
- https://fairvoteaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Dems-Wasted-Votes-Doc_22-for-Will-1187×1536.jpg
- https://www.wa-democrats.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-Washington-State-Democrats-Platform-Passed-6-25-2022.pdf Lines 1282-3
Good of the Order
Membership asked to suspend rules to allow Richard Emery (non-member) to speak. Requires ⅔ vote, was successful.
Richard Emery spoke about his career on Mukilteo City Council
Al Apodaca is on SnoCo PCO Coordinating Committee. Looking for sign-waving folks!
Susan Paine – Please encourage young people to run for office – and vote!
Adjourn at 8:12 pm