MV Times: Yes, yes, and no
By | October 21, 2020
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Mail-in voting is in full swing. Early voting began Saturday. And we’re less than two weeks away from the general election. If you haven’t made your decisions and already cast ballots, it’s time to get it done.
Islanders will see three questions on their ballots (remember to turn over your ballots).
Question 2 is the ranked-choice voting question. Reporter Brian Dowd explains how ranked-choice voting works very well in this story, using an example we can all relate to — favorite foods. This is a fairer method of voting when there are multiple candidates in a race. For example, there were nine Democratic candidates in the race to replace U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy III, who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for Senate. That race was won by Jake Auchincloss, with 22.4 percent of the vote. Jesse Mermell, the second-place finisher and a progressive candidate, had 21.1 percent. A total of 2,033 votes separated them. Further down the ballot, there were other progressive candidates who likely took votes away from Mermell. Ranked-choice voting might have allowed her to win the tight race, and a majority of the electorate to have a candidate who more closely aligned with their views. Vote yes on Question 2.
