(manufactured) Majority Digital Download (PDF)
Manufactured Majority: Tales from the 2022 Alaska U.S. Congress Race & U.S. Senate Race
"(manufactured) Majority" by Phil Izon is an in-depth analysis of the impact of ranked-choice voting (RCV) and jungle primaries on elections, using the 2022 Alaska U.S. Congress and Senate races as case studies. The book argues that these electoral reforms have significant drawbacks, leading to increased costs, voter confusion, and unexpected election outcomes.
Key Points:
1. Election Costs and Implementation:
- The total cost for implementing RCV in Alaska, along with regular and special election costs, amounted to over $11 million, a 328% increase from previous election costs.
- Alaska experienced its most expensive election in history, spending significantly more on voter education for RCV.
2. Voter Turnout and Election Results:
- The introduction of RCV and the jungle primary system coincided with the lowest voter turnout in Alaska's history.
- Despite the majority of Alaskans voting for Republican candidates in multiple races, a Democrat won due to the RCV process, highlighting potential issues with representativeness.
3. Impact on Third-Party Candidates:
- RCV was expected to benefit third-party candidates by reducing the spoiler effect, but data from Alaska and Maine suggests otherwise. Third-party candidates did not see significant improvements in representation.
- The complexity of RCV can lead to ballot exhaustion, where votes for eliminated candidates are not transferred, impacting the overall election outcome.
4. Political Dynamics and Campaign Strategies:
- The jungle primary system, where candidates from any party compete in a single primary, led to increased candidate participation but also greater reliance on large donors.
- The competitive nature of jungle primaries resulted in candidates from the same party attacking each other, undermining party unity.
5. Critiques from Political Figures:
- Prominent politicians, including Governor Gavin Newsom and U.S. Senator Tom Cotton, have expressed concerns about RCV, arguing that it can disenfranchise voters and lead to less representative outcomes.
6. Software and Logistical Challenges:
- The book also examines issues related to the software used for RCV, including instances where settings were changed based on advice from advocacy groups, raising questions about the integrity of the process.
(manufactured) Majority Digital Download (PDF)
Manufactured Majority: Tales from the 2022 Alaska U.S. Congress Race & U.S. Senate Race
"(manufactured) Majority" by Phil Izon is an in-depth analysis of the impact of ranked-choice voting (RCV) and jungle primaries on elections, using the 2022 Alaska U.S. Congress and Senate races as case studies. The book argues that these electoral reforms have significant drawbacks, leading to increased costs, voter confusion, and unexpected election outcomes.
Key Points:
1. Election Costs and Implementation:
- The total cost for implementing RCV in Alaska, along with regular and special election costs, amounted to over $11 million, a 328% increase from previous election costs.
- Alaska experienced its most expensive election in history, spending significantly more on voter education for RCV.
2. Voter Turnout and Election Results:
- The introduction of RCV and the jungle primary system coincided with the lowest voter turnout in Alaska's history.
- Despite the majority of Alaskans voting for Republican candidates in multiple races, a Democrat won due to the RCV process, highlighting potential issues with representativeness.
3. Impact on Third-Party Candidates:
- RCV was expected to benefit third-party candidates by reducing the spoiler effect, but data from Alaska and Maine suggests otherwise. Third-party candidates did not see significant improvements in representation.
- The complexity of RCV can lead to ballot exhaustion, where votes for eliminated candidates are not transferred, impacting the overall election outcome.
4. Political Dynamics and Campaign Strategies:
- The jungle primary system, where candidates from any party compete in a single primary, led to increased candidate participation but also greater reliance on large donors.
- The competitive nature of jungle primaries resulted in candidates from the same party attacking each other, undermining party unity.
5. Critiques from Political Figures:
- Prominent politicians, including Governor Gavin Newsom and U.S. Senator Tom Cotton, have expressed concerns about RCV, arguing that it can disenfranchise voters and lead to less representative outcomes.
6. Software and Logistical Challenges:
- The book also examines issues related to the software used for RCV, including instances where settings were changed based on advice from advocacy groups, raising questions about the integrity of the process.