FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, November 3, 2022
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Ross Sherman, RepresentUs Media Relations Manager, 207-749-2660, rsherman@represent.us
FLORENCE, Mass. – With less than a week until Election Day, it’s clear that a repeat of 2020 is possible. Politicians are planning to threaten free and fair elections by spreading misinformation about fraud, falsely claiming victory before all votes are counted, and even encouraging violence. Meanwhile, voters across the country have a chance to fight America’s corrupt political system by passing Ranked Choice Voting, anti-dark money, and other pro-voter laws.
RepresentUs is sharing the following information to help your readers and viewers understand what they should expect on Election Day and the coming weeks.
Threats to free and fair elections
Despite election liars’ plans to falsely declare victory and fraud before all votes are counted, RepresentUs and partners released a battleground poll Thursday that shows voters across the political spectrum overwhelmingly trust America’s elections. 94% of voters believe that states should certify the results as reported by local election officials.
Other key findings from the poll include:
- 88% of voters believe it is very important that elections are free of political or partisan interference.
- 80% of voters think their state body should certify the election even if a losing candidate refuses to concede.
- 76% of voters think their state body should certify the election even if a losing candidate claims there was fraud without providing any evidence.
- 74% of voters think their state body should certify the election even if a losing candidate appeared to be in the lead on election night.
“On Election Day and the days after, we know what the election liars’ ridiculous playbook is going to be because they did it in 2020: Declare victory before all the votes are counted, claim fraud that doesn’t exist, and rile up their supporters to harass and threaten election workers,” said RepresentUs CEO Joshua Graham Lynn. “Republicans, Democrats and independents trust our elections and the public servants who run them. Americans want every legal vote counted, no matter how long it takes. And we’re unified against self-interested politicians lying and stoking fear about the election for their own gain.”
Other resources to help inform your readers about the midterms:
- Three midterms scenarios Americans need to prepare for
- When can voters expect election results from key battleground states?
- Reminder of how votes are counted and verified
- When Absentee/Mail Ballot Processing and Counting Can Begin
- Canvass, Certification and Contested Election Deadlines and Voter Intent Laws
- America’s election workers are under attack – educate yourself and learn what you can do to protect them
Ballot initiatives: Where voters are fighting America’s corrupt political system
Led by partners on the ground, RepresentUs is supporting nine ballot initiatives across the country to fix America’s broken political system.
“The 2022 midterms could set us on a path toward having better elected officials that actually represent the voters,” said RepresentUs Interim Director of Political Programs Megan Caska. “Our movement has a golden opportunity to pass laws in cities and states across the country that take power from corrupt politicians and give it to the voters – where it belongs.”
The following campaign leaders are available for interviews to discuss what’s happening on the ground in their state:
Nevada
If approved by the voters in the 2022 and 2024 elections, Ballot Question 3 would institute final-five nonpartisan primaries and Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) general elections. Nevada would be the third state to make this change, following in the footsteps of Maine and Alaska. Yes on Question 3 NV is leading this statewide effort on the ground, and the race is currently a toss-up.
Contact: Mike Draper, Argentum Partners, mike@argentumnv.com
Seattle
Seattle’s Proposition 1B will move the city’s primary races for city attorney, mayor and city council to RCV. If it passes, Seattle would be the second-largest city in America to use RCV.
Contact: Stephanie Houghton, FairVote Washington, stephanie.houghton@fairvotewa.org
Portland, Oregon
Ballot Measure 26-228 would modernize the century-old city charter in several key ways, including by implementing Proportional RCV. Portland United for Change is leading a coalition to pass this measure, which is currently up in the polls.
Contact: Damon Motz-Storey, Portland United for Change, 303-913-5634, damon@colororegon.com
Fort Collins, Colorado
Momentum for RCV continues to build in Colorado. Last year, Broomfield became the fifth jurisdiction in the state to pass RCV. If Measure 2 passes, Fort Collins would become the sixth, paving the way for statewide reform. RCV for Fort Collins, a grassroots- and community-led coalition, is leading this effort.
Contact: Robbie Moreland, Ranked Choice Voting for Fort Collins, 435-512-7272, moreland01@gmail.com; Luke Doescher, Ranked Choice Voting for Fort Collins, 720-688-0141, ldoescher00@gmail.com
Elsewhere, Arizonans have a chance to stop dark money, Arkansas voters can preserve direct democracy, Evanston, Ill. can pass RCV, Oakland, Calif. can pass Democracy Dollars, and San Francisco can improve voter turnout.
RepresentUs will be sharing results of these campaigns and others as they come in on the organization's Election Hub.
###
RepresentUs is America’s leading nonpartisan organization fighting to protect and strengthen democracy. We unite unlikely allies from across the political spectrum who put country over party to pass pro-democracy laws, fight corruption, and defeat authoritarian threats. We have won more than 160 victories in cities and states across America since our founding 10 years ago. Each win is one step closer to our vision of making America the world’s strongest democracy.