Protect Your Vote - Vote NO on Initiative 83
Protect Your Vote - Vote NO on Initiative 83
The Issue
What is Initiative 83?
If approved in November 2024, Initiative 83 would introduce Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) and Semi-Closed Primaries (allowing independents to vote in primaries) to the District.
Why Oppose Initiative 83?
The District’s Home Rule Act mandates closed primaries, meaning only registered Democrats can vote in Democratic primaries. Initiative 83 undermines this Home Rule provision.
Furthermore, academic research from the University of Minnesota shows that RCV may disadvantage Black and Brown voters. The study found that RCV "favors white and affluent voters" who are more likely to participate fully compared to those in low-income and minority communities.
MYTH: Proponents of I83 are using local faces and claim I83 is driven by local interests.
FACT: Campaign finance reports reveal that national special interest groups like Open Primaries and Fair Vote, not local entities, are funding this initiative. For instance, Fair Vote Action PAC has contributed over $143,920, and All One God Faith Inc. from California has given over $280,089. Additionally, 39 out-of-state petition circulators were paid to gather signatures. The involvement and funding by these non-local groups raise questions about their motives.
MYTH: Proponents of I83 argue that RCV is gaining popularity nationwide.
FACT: Recent trends suggest otherwise. Several states, including South Dakota, Idaho, Tennessee, Florida, and Montana, have banned RCV. Locally, in Arlington, the County Board decided against RCV after experiencing confusion and negative impacts on minority voters during a June 2023 Democratic primary. And on WAMU’s Politics Hour on August 2, Fairfax Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay suggested that RCV could “intimidate voters with the complexity of what's being asked to be done” and that Fairfax County is not ready for it.
MYTH: Proponents claim closed primaries disenfranchise independents.
FACT: Eligible voters are never barred from joining the Democratic Party. All registered and eligible voters can vote in a general election regardless of party affiliation. Title IV of the DC Home Rule Act inherently guarantees the right of District voters and political parties to associate together to achieve their political goals. The DC Home Rule Act specifically states that the Mayor, Councilmembers, and Attorney General be elected on a “partisan” basis. Independent voters have made a choice not to affiliate with a party. It is not a legitimate argument that closed primaries disenfranchise any registered and eligible voter. Requiring that a voter be a party member to vote in a closed primary is not disenfranchisement — it is freedom of association.
MYTH: Proponents argue that Initiative 83 will protect the Black vote and help elect more women and people of color.
FACT: Electing women of color and people of color is not an issue in the District of Columbia. The Council of the District of Columbia is the most diverse elected council in the metropolitan area and perhaps in the nation. District voters have and will continue to vote for women and people of color into office who share their values. Ranked choice voting and open primaries if adopted will reverse the gender and racial make-up of the District’s elected officials.
MYTH: Proponents state that ranked-choice voting will preserve Native Washingtonian voting power.
FACT: This attack on grassroots DC Statehood efforts will have a negative effect on the ongoing fight for DC Statehood. Historically, most opposition to DC statehood is partisan and is based in the fear of the political voting power of Wards 7, 8, and 5. In 1978, Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) commented that the resistance to granting the District of Columbia full representation was due to “the fear that Senators elected from the District of Columbia may be too liberal, too urban, too Black or too Democratic.” The House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) recently drafted a memo in response to H.R. 51, the D.C. Admission Act, with the central argument against DC Statehood being that “it is nothing more than a partisan power grab from Speaker Pelosi and her socialist allies to add two more Democrats to the Senate.” I83 will destroy Democracy and the Democratic Party in the District of Columbia and hamper DC Statehood efforts.
MYTH: Supporters of I83 claim that ranked-choice voting (RCV) is being embraced nationwide.
FACT: Numerous states, cities, and counties that adopted RCV now regret the decision. Many have repealed or are in the process of repealing it, citing confusion and complexity in the voting process. This system has led to thousands of discarded ballots, widespread voter mistakes, delayed election results, questionable recounts, and a decline in voter confidence.
We understand that public trust in elections is crucial. This is why, in the past two years, ten states—Florida, Tennessee, South Dakota, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, Oklahoma, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana—have banned ranked-choice voting.
Ranked-choice voting is currently implemented statewide only in Maine and Alaska. However, the Alaska Supreme Court has allowed a ballot measure for the November 2024 election, aiming to repeal the state's open primary and ranked-choice voting system. This measure seeks to reverse provisions of a 2020 voter initiative that replaced party primaries with open primaries and established ranked-choice voting.
Why Vote NO on Initiative 83
- Ranked-choice voting (RCV) is essentially an instant runoff system that is designed to suppress the votes of people of color, seniors, low-income communities, and individuals with disabilities.
- It undermines the belief that grassroots donors, not corporate interests, should have influence in elections. The supporters of Initiative 83 are backed by external corporate interests, PACs, and donors from outside the District.
- It contradicts your commitment to DC Statehood, which is a critical issue of racial justice. Any attack on Home Rule is an attack on the fight for DC Statehood.
We cannot allow the proponents of I83 to convince us that the only solution is flawed election reform. Stand up to them using everything you've learned here today
Don't be fooled by the interference of these outsiders. PROTECT YOUR VOTE
- Vote No on Initiative 83 in November.
- Sign our petition.
- Donate to our campaign to educate District voters.
- Share this campaign with your community.
- Invite us to give an educational presentation to your church, neighbors or associations
NOTE: Donations provided below go to Change.org to promote this petition to more people. If you want to donate to the campaign please donate via our ActBlue link.
Volunteer Sign Up: https://forms.gle/xcNXWTCDAggmzHjg6
Twitter @voteno83
Watch our Educational Video: https://www.voteno83.com/
Paid for by Vote No on Initiative 83 | Malynda Hill-Williams, Treasurer | Deirdre Brown, Chair | 14 Ridge Square, NW, 3rd Floor, Washington, DC 20016. A copy of our report is filed with the Director of Campaign Finance of the District of Columbia Board of Elections.
192
The Issue
What is Initiative 83?
If approved in November 2024, Initiative 83 would introduce Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) and Semi-Closed Primaries (allowing independents to vote in primaries) to the District.
Why Oppose Initiative 83?
The District’s Home Rule Act mandates closed primaries, meaning only registered Democrats can vote in Democratic primaries. Initiative 83 undermines this Home Rule provision.
Furthermore, academic research from the University of Minnesota shows that RCV may disadvantage Black and Brown voters. The study found that RCV "favors white and affluent voters" who are more likely to participate fully compared to those in low-income and minority communities.
MYTH: Proponents of I83 are using local faces and claim I83 is driven by local interests.
FACT: Campaign finance reports reveal that national special interest groups like Open Primaries and Fair Vote, not local entities, are funding this initiative. For instance, Fair Vote Action PAC has contributed over $143,920, and All One God Faith Inc. from California has given over $280,089. Additionally, 39 out-of-state petition circulators were paid to gather signatures. The involvement and funding by these non-local groups raise questions about their motives.
MYTH: Proponents of I83 argue that RCV is gaining popularity nationwide.
FACT: Recent trends suggest otherwise. Several states, including South Dakota, Idaho, Tennessee, Florida, and Montana, have banned RCV. Locally, in Arlington, the County Board decided against RCV after experiencing confusion and negative impacts on minority voters during a June 2023 Democratic primary. And on WAMU’s Politics Hour on August 2, Fairfax Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay suggested that RCV could “intimidate voters with the complexity of what's being asked to be done” and that Fairfax County is not ready for it.
MYTH: Proponents claim closed primaries disenfranchise independents.
FACT: Eligible voters are never barred from joining the Democratic Party. All registered and eligible voters can vote in a general election regardless of party affiliation. Title IV of the DC Home Rule Act inherently guarantees the right of District voters and political parties to associate together to achieve their political goals. The DC Home Rule Act specifically states that the Mayor, Councilmembers, and Attorney General be elected on a “partisan” basis. Independent voters have made a choice not to affiliate with a party. It is not a legitimate argument that closed primaries disenfranchise any registered and eligible voter. Requiring that a voter be a party member to vote in a closed primary is not disenfranchisement — it is freedom of association.
MYTH: Proponents argue that Initiative 83 will protect the Black vote and help elect more women and people of color.
FACT: Electing women of color and people of color is not an issue in the District of Columbia. The Council of the District of Columbia is the most diverse elected council in the metropolitan area and perhaps in the nation. District voters have and will continue to vote for women and people of color into office who share their values. Ranked choice voting and open primaries if adopted will reverse the gender and racial make-up of the District’s elected officials.
MYTH: Proponents state that ranked-choice voting will preserve Native Washingtonian voting power.
FACT: This attack on grassroots DC Statehood efforts will have a negative effect on the ongoing fight for DC Statehood. Historically, most opposition to DC statehood is partisan and is based in the fear of the political voting power of Wards 7, 8, and 5. In 1978, Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) commented that the resistance to granting the District of Columbia full representation was due to “the fear that Senators elected from the District of Columbia may be too liberal, too urban, too Black or too Democratic.” The House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) recently drafted a memo in response to H.R. 51, the D.C. Admission Act, with the central argument against DC Statehood being that “it is nothing more than a partisan power grab from Speaker Pelosi and her socialist allies to add two more Democrats to the Senate.” I83 will destroy Democracy and the Democratic Party in the District of Columbia and hamper DC Statehood efforts.
MYTH: Supporters of I83 claim that ranked-choice voting (RCV) is being embraced nationwide.
FACT: Numerous states, cities, and counties that adopted RCV now regret the decision. Many have repealed or are in the process of repealing it, citing confusion and complexity in the voting process. This system has led to thousands of discarded ballots, widespread voter mistakes, delayed election results, questionable recounts, and a decline in voter confidence.
We understand that public trust in elections is crucial. This is why, in the past two years, ten states—Florida, Tennessee, South Dakota, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, Oklahoma, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana—have banned ranked-choice voting.
Ranked-choice voting is currently implemented statewide only in Maine and Alaska. However, the Alaska Supreme Court has allowed a ballot measure for the November 2024 election, aiming to repeal the state's open primary and ranked-choice voting system. This measure seeks to reverse provisions of a 2020 voter initiative that replaced party primaries with open primaries and established ranked-choice voting.
Why Vote NO on Initiative 83
- Ranked-choice voting (RCV) is essentially an instant runoff system that is designed to suppress the votes of people of color, seniors, low-income communities, and individuals with disabilities.
- It undermines the belief that grassroots donors, not corporate interests, should have influence in elections. The supporters of Initiative 83 are backed by external corporate interests, PACs, and donors from outside the District.
- It contradicts your commitment to DC Statehood, which is a critical issue of racial justice. Any attack on Home Rule is an attack on the fight for DC Statehood.
We cannot allow the proponents of I83 to convince us that the only solution is flawed election reform. Stand up to them using everything you've learned here today
Don't be fooled by the interference of these outsiders. PROTECT YOUR VOTE
- Vote No on Initiative 83 in November.
- Sign our petition.
- Donate to our campaign to educate District voters.
- Share this campaign with your community.
- Invite us to give an educational presentation to your church, neighbors or associations
NOTE: Donations provided below go to Change.org to promote this petition to more people. If you want to donate to the campaign please donate via our ActBlue link.
Volunteer Sign Up: https://forms.gle/xcNXWTCDAggmzHjg6
Twitter @voteno83
Watch our Educational Video: https://www.voteno83.com/
Paid for by Vote No on Initiative 83 | Malynda Hill-Williams, Treasurer | Deirdre Brown, Chair | 14 Ridge Square, NW, 3rd Floor, Washington, DC 20016. A copy of our report is filed with the Director of Campaign Finance of the District of Columbia Board of Elections.