By James Barry and Chuck O’Reilly | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice
With the passage of Proposition 131, the ranked-choice voting measure you may have heard about, petitions are the only way candidates will able to qualify for the ballot. Only candidates with big money supporting them will be able to pay canvassers enough money to stand in front of stores to get a sufficient number of voters to sign each candidate’s petition.
That’s right! Only candidates with enough money supporting them will be able to pay canvassers. All candidates will need large amount of money to pay their way onto the ballot. As a result, those candidates are beholding to those donors.
Why? Gone are the days when we gathered with our neighbors to discuss candidates at our caucuses and county assemblies to decide which candidate should appear on the ballot.
Why? Out of state interests like Ben Walton (Walmart) spent $2 million and Reed Hastings (founder of Netflix) spent $1 million to fund Prop. 131. Once their candidates are in office, the candidates will vote the way their financial backers direct them.
Why? Because of petitioning, the candidates will not have to interact with their constituents. Instead it will be all about big money.
Why? Big money allows large amounts of paid advertising, much of it negative. Bypassing interactions with constituents, the candidates will instead purchase advertising to win the election.
These Prop. 131 elected officials will owe their new seats to the money that got them there. Our Colorado interests will be forgotten!
Join us, and Vote NO on Proposition 131!
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so we support the constitutional right of the author to express those opinions.