News and opinion

By Andy Dawkins Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, 65A; 1987 - 2003. Want a stronger democracy? Make sure everyone who wins an election gets 50% of the vote. It’s called Instant Run-Off or Ranked Choice Voting and it’s up for a vote at the MN Legislature. It also...

Jen Scott in the Forest Lake Times Today, in most Minnesota elections, a candidate need not earn majority support to win; they can win with less, and sometimes far less, than 50% of the vote. When someone wins with less than a majority, it is called winning “by plurality vote.”...

This simple but powerful reform fosters political competition and requires winning candidates to build majority coalitions. Jeanne Massey in MinnPost Anti-democratic forces that have been gaining steam in recent years reached a boiling point in the 2020 election cycle,...

Tom Benson in the Duluth News Tribune I could barely keep from spitting out my coffee at the laughable statement on ranked-choice voting in the News Tribune’s March 15 “Our View” editorial, headlined, “Like Duluth, state can reject confusion of ranked-choice voting.” “A...

Liz Johnson and Katie Humphrey in the Duluth News Tribune When Duluth voted down ranked-choice voting in 2015, there was widespread misinformation about the system. Unfortunately, the News Tribune continued to spread disinformation with its March 15 “Our View” editorial,...

Michael Hearne in The Sun Sailor To the Editor: As the dust settles on the most contentious presidential election in modern history, the Plymouth City Council is showing its leadership by studying ranked-choice voting at a study session April 13. I believe it is the best option...

Lonnies Wing in the Alexandria Echo Press To the editor: What if I told you there was a way to begin to undo the destruction created by the zero sum toxic partisanship that threatens the very existence of American democracy? What if I told you there was a way to reduce...

Emily Bryant in The Sun Current: To the editor: Polarization is ubiquitous across the political landscape, and it’s tearing apart our nation, our states, our communities and even our families. While this affliction is driven by many factors, there is a remedy. Ranked-choice...

Mike Krachmer in the White Bear Press   I am not a political extremist, I am not prone to hyperbole, and I don’t easily get worked up. Nonetheless, I must express that I am deeply alarmed by the degree to which polarization, disinformation and negative partisanship are...

Dave Updegraff in The Duluth News Tribune: There are bills pending in St. Paul about ranked-choice voting. This, at the most fundamental level, is recognition that back here in the real world "second best" is not the same as "worst." Contrary to what the sincere and passionate...