Prop 131 for representation that truly reflects the diversity of Colorado | OPINION | Opinion

Who does Proposition 131 really help? Everyone, of course, but we’ll explain why in more detail in a moment.

As you can imagine, the proposed election reform means more than a simplistic hypophora aimed at high-profile campaign supporters or attempts to discredit the measure through a candidate’s “worrying” past election results.

Will Proposition 131 take big money out of politics? No, because while campaign finance reform is a laudable goal in itself, change won’t happen on its own. First and foremost, Colorado needs civic-minded leaders who advocate for the communities they represent. And these leaders should come from pragmatic and vibrant communities that have historically been isolated as a result of the influence of foreign money and domestic politics.

It has been shown that open primaries and ranked choice voting (RCV), which are the key reforms offered by Prop. 131, benefits candidates from outside the institution and candidates from disadvantaged communities. More importantly, it would give voters a wider selection of candidates in each election, which has led to significant and positive results in communities where similar measures have already been passed.

The bottom line is that Proposition 131 will help all Colorado voters, including those in disadvantaged communities of color, by making elections more competitive and fair.

Critics argue that our independent redistricting commission should have created more politically competitive districts. But constitutional requirements to keep county and municipal jurisdictions as whole as possible, coupled with the fact that many of us now live with like-minded people (a demographic shift that political geographers call the “Big Sort”) make it practical . impossible.

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As a result, we are left with a system in which only 13% of voters in 2022 cast a significant vote (that is, one cast in a competitive ballot that is not determined solely by party affiliation) in state House races and 18% for congressional races, as more than two-thirds of the races were decided in low-turnout primaries.

Prop 131 aims to fix this by strengthening our democratic system currently undermined by chronic polarization and unrelenting partisanship. Real-world implementation in more than 60 voting jurisdictions nationwide has shown that nonpartisan open primaries and ranked-choice general elections play a critical role in correcting many of the deficiencies in our electoral system that the establishment is unwilling to acknowledge – such as barriers to entry for traditionally marginalized candidates such as women, blacks, or candidates from other racial or ethnic backgrounds.

This may be best demonstrated by the successful outcome of New York’s ranked choice election process in 2021. RCV’s incorporation into the municipal spring allowed women, and especially women of color, to run and win in record numbers. As a result, black women were elected to a majority of seats on the New York City Council for the first time in history in November—a milestone to be celebrated rather than something to be vaguely concerned about.

There is no good reason to believe that the same cannot happen in Colorado. Examples of the positive impact of ranked voting abounds, to say the least a study found that RCV adoption was associated with an estimated 9-point increase in the percentage of applicants from racial or ethnic minority groups.

Prop 131 provides an additional step forward in the collective project we call democracy by lowering the barriers to entry for candidates through an open primary in which the top four candidates advance to the general election, regardless of political party. Instead of being told to “wait your turn” while political parties push for a more “viable” candidate, this system helps level the playing field for any candidate to run and win primaries on their own terms. In fact, promoting candidates who have the skills to assemble large-scale coalitions and foster consensus is precisely what this proposal aims to do.

Concerns that this form of instant election will disenfranchise minorities are overblown. Institute for Mathematics and Democracy he revealed “serious methodological and analytical flaws” in the limited studies raising concern with ranked-choice voting. Meanwhile, ca MIT’s Election Science and Data Lab noted just last year, “There is an extensive body of literature supporting the idea that (ranked-choice voting) increases representation for marginalized gender and racial groups.”

That’s the point. By achieving more accurate representation, more communities of color will have a seat at the decision-making table. Through their representatives, these communities can voice their concerns, issues, ideas and wishes, leading to more inclusive, innovative and fair legislation. Voters in those districts understand that, and condescending attempts to portray them as confused or easier to manipulate are frankly insulting.

Ranked-choice voting takes more into account the voter’s opinion when determining the winners. But don’t confuse political expression with voter confusion. Not every voter will rank every candidate in every election. How voters choose to fill out — or not fill out — their ballots is ultimately up to them.

Whether a candidate or a voter, Prop 131 gives everyone an opportunity that doesn’t currently exist — an opportunity to participate in a way that truly reflects Colorado’s diversity and know that your opinion matters.

This election, let’s take the opportunity to end the charade of establishment fairness and build a better system that works for all Coloradans by voting “Yes” on Prop 131.

Carlos Perez of Colorado Springs is an unaffiliated voter and software engineer. He served on the Colorado Independent Legislative Reapportionment Commission in 2021. Terrance Carroll of Denver served as Speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives and was the first African-American to hold the position.