We are at a time where many are struggling and the future seems uncertain. The need for hope and inspiration has never been more palpable. We need to be pulled together and reminded of how we are all interconnected and united.  The current political landscape is greatly failing this task. It’s not too late for organizations such as the Democratic Party to make meaningful gestures to replenish the love we feel for democracy, to amaze us at how powerful the institution can be when it functions the way it is meant to. It’s not too late to create a movement that is so big and exciting it bring us together and gives us hope, a hope that is greatly needed in our political process, our government, and our future.

The primaries are failing to be a functioning part of the democratic process.  It can be argued that these issues are always present and that’s just the way things are. We reject that argument and assert our responsibility to examine our processes, find the shortcomings, and improve them. There are two glaring problems with the primary this year that we call on the Democratic Party to recognize and correct.

1. The system of staggered primaries causes many citizens in states with later primaries to not be given the full range of choices that those in early primary states have. Sometimes later states have no choice at all, the nominee has already been chosen before many Americans have had a chance to cast their ballots. It undermines the idea that every vote should count when you watch your choices shrink while you wait for your state to have its turn at voting.

2. The current system of non-ranked voting causes people to make a calculated choice based on risk assessment rather than voting for their favorite candidate. Out of fear of “wasting” their vote, they ignore their hearts and core beliefs choosing instead to vote for the candidate who has the best chance of beating their least desired opponent.

We are requesting that you, the Democratic Party, at both the state and national levels, recognize these issues and remedy them with a gesture that will excite, inspire, and activate the people you purport to represent. We need a national primary vote by mail, with the top 6 candidates from the primaries so far, and announcing the winner on August 17th, the scheduled date of the convention. Since having a convention would be ill conceived, the budget for that convention can be spent on this vote-by-mail effort. Instead of a convention hall filled with a few thousand privileged people having a party, the country will be filled with millions of citizens celebrating their privileged position in a functioning democracy.

An instant run-off election would give people the ability to pick their ideal choice of who they really want to represent them (an idea this country was founded on) and also pick their second, third and possible fourth and fifth choices, should their first choice not be the first choice of many of their fellow citizens. A mail in vote by all states at the same time would eliminate the preferential position some states have. Let’s give people a chance to cast their ballot for their true first choice.

It’s time to excite, inspire, and listen to the voice of the people. The issues at stake in the election affect the citizens of each state in our country and in turn, the global community. We cannot allow the democratic process to fail

We call on you, the Democratic Party, to get people excited about participating in the democratic process again. As so many struggle with how this pandemic has altered their lives, we must invigorate and exhilarate the electorate, instead of contributing to the disenfranchisement and disillusionment of voters. We can unite the party from border to border in a new democratic age.  While many of us are staying home to stay safe, we can elevate the conversation of the direction we want the country to take, while enlisting everyone to take part in it. Lead the party so we stand with you out of loyalty and pride, not out of disgust for the opposition.

We call on you, the Democratic Party, to have a new primary for the democratic nominee for president right away, by mail, for all members of the party, with ranked voting and an instant run-off of the top 6 candidates thus far in the electoral season.