2023 Charter Review Commission
Better Ballot KC RCV proposal for KC to use ranked choice voting in Municipal elections is an amendment to the city charter.
The decision of the KC Charter Review Commission on May 16 was to include in their report a recommendation that the City Council study ranked choice voting.
Since the current city council is on its way out and winding down, the practical effect of this is that we need to turn our attention to the new council. It will be elected on June 20 and takes office August 1.
We did a good job of showing a public outpouring of support. Since all the listening sessions were recorded, we have videos and clips of RCV testimony are being posted below and on our YouTube channel. We also have some of the written testimony submitted included. Testimony given over Zoom during the listening sessions is not yet available but we are trying to get it.
VOTER TESTIMONIES
Dear Commission Members:
We at Better Ballot KC ran a citizen's petition drive from August of 2021 to April of 2022. We secured 3,623 verified signatures to place a charter change on the ballot. This called for ranked choice voting for mayor and city council races in the April election, making the June election unnecessary. While the Missouri constitution calls for about ten times as many signatures to require a charter change to be voted on (a task that would require big-money backing rather than local volunteers), what we turned in was above the number of signatures necessary for an ordinance (3,480). Especially considering the obstacles posed by Covid restrictions at the time, we believe this constitutes strong evidence that the citizenry wishes to have the opportunity to vote on this.
I attach a draft of the proposed charter change as we attached to every petition sheet. This was reviewed by attorneys who are experts in election law before we started the petition drive.
Rachel M. MacNair, Ph.D.
President, Better Ballot KC
E-mail: rachel@betterballotkc.org
Voice and text: 816-753-2057
Postal: 811 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64110
Clips of testimony given live to the charter commission:
St. Louis - approval voting, easy for voters, element run-off election - cost savings and timing, unjust elections
History of BBKC actions to educate voters, issues encountered and feeling unheard.
Support for rank choice voting, actions taken by BBKC to educate citizens and city council.
Charter review and reviewing alternative voting methods like RCV.
EMAIL Testimony
Date: Tue, Apr 18, 2023 at 7:04 AM
Subject: Charter Review Commission - Public Comment on Ranked Choice Voting
To: Public Testimony
Clips of testimony given live to the charter commission:
Benefits of RCV, statistics and data analysis, impacts to 3rd parties
Where RCV is being used, how easy RCV is, cost savings.
Precedent for implementing RCV.
Charter city, chapter 115, ordinance drafting.
EMAIL Testimony
Date: Mon, Apr 10, 2023, 8:02 PM
Subject: Public Testimony for Charter Review Commission Meeting
To: <public.testimony@kcmo.org>
Clips of testimony given live to the charter commission:
Precedents in MO - KC should lead instead, RCV not complicated
Voter turnout.
Be informed, not influenced!
Supporter of RCV, improve voter turnout, let the voters decide, put it on the ballot.
Proponent of RCV, pointing out the 50%+1 solution proposed wouldn't be needed, RCV is easy.
EMAIL Testimony
Clips of testimony given live to the charter commission:
RCV would attract younger voters, make campaigning more cordial.
Lily newer KC resident and a proponent for RCV being put on the ballot.
Issues with other options being looked at, commission timeline and We should be looking at RCV. I really like RCV.
Voters educate yourself on RCV. RCV is the path to political peace!
EMAIL Testimony
To: "public.testimony@kcmo.org"
Sent: Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at 04:35:36 PM CDT
Subject: Support for Ranked Choice Voting
Clips of testimony given live to the charter commission:
History of voting, RCV is a solution for divisiveness and low voter turnout
RCV is not a flash in the pan, groups across the country promoting & implementing. We're late!
RCV discourages candidates from playing to the fringes and making elections more civilized.
Economist explaining how RCV fixes split voting and why he supports it.
EMAIL Testimony