There are numerous injustices in the United States election process that impede the execution of fair elections. There are violations of voting rights, unreasonable ballot access requirements for third parties and independent candidates, utilization of voting methods that promote the occurrence of two major competing parties, and the influence of political action committees. Injustices will be identified and prioritized. Specific ones to correct will be designated as Fair Election Advocates nonpartisan Crusades. 

Retain the Georgia and Pennsylvania No-Excuse Absentee Ballot

Georgia and Pennsylvania are two of twenty five states that allow eligible voters to request an absentee ballot without providing an excuse for not voting in person. For the 2020 general election nine other states allow the fear of contracting COVID-19 as an excuse. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced during a Georgia House hearing on Dec. 23, 2020 his desire to eliminate no-excuse absentee ballot voting after fifteen years of implementation. Just months before the COVOD-19 pandemic, the Pennsylvania House and Senate voted overwhelmingly to expand absentee voting to all voters in the state. Millions opted to vote this way, but now Pa. Rep. Jim Gregory, a Blair County Republican who voted for this a year ago, wants to repeal it.

The 2013 Supreme Court ruling in Shelby County v. Holder gutted key portions of the Voting Rights Act, which protected eligible voters from discriminatory voting laws. The court claimed those protections were no longer necessary. Since that ruling state legislatures without justification have enacted more restrictive voting requirements and access that infringe on the rights of the poor and minorities. Voting by mail reduces election costs, increases turnout (especially during a pandemic), and encourages people to vote down-ballot and make more informed decisions. One criticism of mail-in voting is the delay in determining the results which can be avoided by the legislatures authorizing pre-election day counting. Another criticism is the inefficient and subjective signature comparison for identification validation. The Help America Vote Act passed by Congress in 2002 allows a valid driver's number as adequate identification for an application for voter registration for an election for federal office. If the individual has no license the last 4 digits of the applicant's social security number is adequate. If the preceding criteria is adequate for voter registration it should be adequate for mail-in ballot voting identification. 

If you live in Georgia please notify your legislators that you oppose eliminating no-excuse absentee ballot voting. You can easily access your Georgia state legislators via legis.ga.gov/members/senate for Senators and legis.ga.gov/members/house for House Representatives.

If you live in Pennsylvania please notify your legislators that you oppose eliminating no-excuse absentee ballot voting. You can easily access your Pennsylvania state legislators via legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator for either Senators or House Representatives. 

Replace Plurality General Election With RCV In South Carolina

The South Carolina Elections Commission conducts semi-open, partisan, plurality voting primary elections for the Democrat and Republican parties. The winner of each primary advances to the plurality voting general election. State recognized political third parties conduct self funded conventions to select their nominees to be placed on the general election ballot. Independent candidates qualify for ballot access by collecting and submitting petitions signed by registered voters. This process results in a diversity of candidates on the general election ballot. However, residents are hesitant to vote their conscience knowing that a vote for a third party or independent candidate reduces votes for their next favored major party candidate. This is why plurality voting perpetuates two major parties - regardless of political platform - and noncompetitive minor parties. Also, with plurality voting if there are two equally strong candidates and numerous less popular candidates the election winner will have received less votes than those cast for his/her competition. Ranked choice voting (RCV) eliminates both election deficiencies. A voter selects the idyllic candidate as first choice and the preferred major party candidate as second choice. If no candidate receives a majority vote on the initial count, instant runoffs are conducted using second and less preferred choices until a candidate receives support from the majority of voters.

A coalition of RCV advocates has planned a campaign to implement RCV in South Carolina. All who are interested in participating are invited to the Zoom kick off meeting on Jan 26. A registration link is available at Better Ballot SC Kick Off

The South Carolina Constitution grants all election authority to the General Assembly (legislature) and residents have no initiative authority. Therefore, the only way to implement RCV is by the residents convincing their elected representatives to pass appropriate legislation that must be signed by the Governor. The legislature is currently in session that continues through May 13.

Polling South Carolina Representatives

Now is the time for South Carolina residents to poll their representatives via telephone, email or postal mail asking them if they support RCV and if so would they sponsor a bill. Contact information for state representatives is easily found via S C Legislator Locator or if you know your legislative districts or the names of your legislators you can just click on the appropriate link in the "Polling Results" tables shown below. An example communication is:

Are you receptive to replacing the current plurality voting general election with a ranked choice voting general election? If receptive, are you willing to sponsor a bill to implement RCV?

Please send me an This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. when you contact your legislators and their names. Please send me another This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. when you receive a response and whether the response was pro or con. Also, please include whether or not the legislator is willing to sponsor a bill.

Polling Results SC Senators

District  Cntct Pro Undcd Con Spnsr
Alexander          
Rice          
Cash          
Gambrell          
Corbin          
Loftis          
Allen          
Turner          
Verdin          
10 Garrett          
11 Kimbrell          
12 Talley          
13 Martin          
14 Peeler          
15 Climer          
16 M. Johnson          
17 Fanning          
18 Cromer          
19 Scott          
20 Harpootlian          
21 Jackson          
22 McLeod          
23 Shealy          
24 Young          
25 Massey          
26 Setzler          
27 Gustafson          
28 Hembree          
29 Malloy          
30 Williams          
31 Leatherman          
32 Sabb          
33 Rankin          
34 Goldfinch          
35 McElveen          
36 K. Johnson          
37 Grooms          
38 Bennett          
39 Stephens          
40 Hutto          
41 Senn          
42 Kimpson          
43 Campsen          
44 Adams          
45 Matthews          
46 Davis          


Polling Results SC Representatives

District  Cntct Pro Undcd Con Spnsr
Whitmire          
Sandifer          
Carter          
Hiott          
Collins          
White          
West          
Hill          
9 Thayer          
10 W. Cox          
11 Gagnon          
12 Parks          
13 McCravy          
14 Jones          
15 JA Moore          
16 Willis          
17 Burns          
18 Stringer          
19 Haddon          
20 Morgan          
21 B. Cox          
22 Elliot          
23 Dillard          
24 Bannister          
25 Robinson          
26 Felder          
27 G. Smith          
28 Trantham          
29 D. Moss          
30 S. Moss          
31 Henderson-Myers          
32 Hyde          
33 T. Moore          
34 Nutt          
35 Chumley          
36 Allison          
37 Long          
38 Magnuson          
39 Forrest          
40 Martin          
41 McDaniel          
42 Gilliam          
43 Ligon          
44 McGarry          
45 B. Newton          
46 Simrill          
47 Pope          
48 Bryant          
49 King          
50 Wheeler          
51 Weeks          
52 Dabney          
53 Yow          
54 Henegan          
55 Hayes          
56 McGinnis          
57 Atkinson          
58 J. E. Johnson          
59 Alexander          
60 Lowe          
61 Kirby          
62 R. Williams          
63 Jordan          
64 K. Johnson          
65 Lucas          
66 Cobb-Hunter          
67 G. Smith          
68 Crawford          
69 Wooten          
70 Brawley          
71 Ballentine          
72 Rose          
73 Hart          
74 Rutherford          
75 Finlay          
76 Howard          
77 Garvin          
78 Bernstein          
79 Thigpen          
80 J. L. Johnson          
81 Blackwell          
82 Clyburn          
83 Hixon          
84 Oremus          
85 Huggins          
86 Taylor          
87 Calhoon          
88 May          
89 Caskey          
90 Bamberg          
91 Hosey          
92 Daning          
93 Ott          
94 Gatch          
95 Govan          
96 McCabe          
97 Kimmons          
98 Murphy          
99 M. Smith          
100 Davis          
101 McKnight          
102 Jefferson          
103 Anderson          
104 Bailey          
105 Hardee          
106 Fry          
107 Brittain          
108 Hewitt          
109 Tedder          
110 Cogswell          
111 Gilliard          
112 Bustos          
113 Pendarvis          
114 Bennett          
115 Wetmore          
116 Murray          
117 Matthews          
118 Herbkersman          
119 Stavrinakis          
120 W. Newton          
121 Rivers          
122 S. Williams          
123 Bradley          
124 Erickson