Homestead mailing list

["Marie McHarry" <mmcharry AT gmail.com>]

We've had numerous discussions about third parties on this list.
Instant runoff voting is not likely to happen in our lifetimes -- what
politician would support it? -- but fusion voting might be an opening.
In fusion voting, one candidate can run on several party tickets. New
York is using it to elect more progressive candidates. You can read
more about it here:
http://www.workingfamiliesparty.org/elections/fusion-the-secret-weapon/.

I voted at 9 today. The polls were quiet even though 3 precincts vote
there. OTOH, fewer than 500 people are registered in those precincts,
the polls opened at 6 and don't close until 7, and harvest is still in
full swing. The judges assured me that they'd had steady business. I
was the 124th person to vote. Only 10 people had voted early.

We vote on paper that is pushed into a machine and counted. It was a
short ballot, and only one ballot initiative (a call for a new
constitutional convention, which I voted against).

Marie