JACKIE DAVIDSON

Ranked Choice Voting was prohibited by the Idaho Legislature with HB179. It was signed into law by Governor Brad Little on March 24, 2023. Organizations such as Reclaim Idaho started an initiative to implement Ranked Choice Voting against current law. They advertised the initiative under an Open Primary Initiative. This made people think that it was to change the Primaries from a Republican closed primary to an open to all primary. However, this is only part of the initiative. The General election would be a process of ranking the candidates. If no candidate gets over 50%, the process goes on until a winner is declared. If a person doesn't rank the candidates, their ballot is thrown out after the first round. There are multiple problems with Ranked Choice Voting. Here are a few issues to consider when voting for this initiative. 

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The Idaho Constitution states:

SECTION 16. UNITY OF SUBJECT AND TITLE. Every act shall embrace but one subject and matters properly connected therewith, which subject shall be expressed in the title; but if any subject shall be embraced in an act which shall not be expressed in the title, such act shall be void only as to so much thereof as shall not be embraced in the title.

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This initiative has 2 subjects and is therefore unconstitutional.

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Here is a link to the initiative:(1) Top-Four Primary (2) Ranked Choice Voting