Lee Davidson’s June 16 article features the headline: “Poll: Utah Republican primary voters wary of rank-choice voting.”
Sounds dismal.
It is not.
Davidson concisely identifies the benefits of ranked-choice voting and the number of Republican leaders who favor it, especially after its overwhelmingly successful use in their recent Utah Republican State Convention.
RCV brings enormous cost savings to the election process, by eliminating primaries. It also motivates turn-out because each voter's opinion counts, rather than being silenced if his or her first choice is eliminated. And it brings civility to the campaigning process and desperately needed change in our political atmosphere.
I don't know where the 500 "likely GOP Primary voters" who were polled are, but they are not representative.
The State Department of Elections has prepared excellent educational materials on RCV, which ensured that the pilot projects in Payson and Vineyard last year went smoothly, increased voter turn-out and earned over 83% support from both voters and candidates.
We predict that RCV will be enjoyed in key Utah counties soon, and then in statewide primaries by 2022.
Nancy McHugh, Salt Lake City
Head of the RCV task force of Salt Lake Indivisible
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