||| FROM LEARNER LIMBACH |||
I’m writing to express my support for Ranked Choice Voting being on the ballot for San Juan County voters to vote on this November, along with the other three charter amendments put forward by the Charter Review Commission. While I support Ranked Choice Voting as a concept, I’m not writing to make an argument for or against each of the amendments, but to advocate for voters of San Juan County getting the chance to vote on them.
I am alarmed that at the recent Jan. 24, 2022 San Juan County Council retreat meeting, concern was expressed about the legality of putting the four Charter Amendments on this November’s ballot. I don’t believe the County Council should be intervening, and I am disappointed and perplexed by the possibility of a challenge happening. It’s the responsibility of our County Auditor to place the four Charter Amendments on the November 2022 ballot in San Juan County, and the county council has no place interfering with the process. I strongly advocate for letting the voters of San Juan County vote on these Charter Amendments this November.
Ironically, while the goal of the Ranked Choice Voting amendment is to make our elections more democratic and inclusive, preventing the proposal from being voted on altogether would be exactly the opposite, denying voters the free and fair choice of how to run our elections.
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I don’t know about the details of how charter amendments get on the ballot but I DO know that San Juan county and the rest of America NEEDS ranked choice voting. It is a necessary step in eliminating the political duopoly of the Democrat and Republican parties and reintroducing actual democracy to the union. Count on plenty of resistance from entrenched interests!
In the interest of supporting a citizenry knowledgeable of the facts:
The County Charter is fairly short. You can read it here: https://www.codepublishing.com/WA/SanJuanCounty/html/SanJuanCountyCH.html
This is the section that explains the charter amendment process: https://www.codepublishing.com/WA/SanJuanCounty/html/SanJuanCountyCH.html#9.30
Here’s where you can watch the recording of the Council meeting of 1/24/22 at which what Learner described is discussed. https://media.avcaptureall.cloud/meeting/2893a051-fc58-4d9b-9a74-b18d3cca9bbe . (Check the agenda to find the spot on the recording where the discussion starts.)
You can also watch recordings of all the Charter Review Commission (CRC) meetings, to compare what was discussed there with what Amy Vira says about it. https://www.sanjuanco.com/AgendaCenter/Search/?term=&CIDs=30,&startDate=&endDate=&dateRange=&dateSelector= On the CRC page, ( https://www.sanjuanco.com/1764/Charter-Review-Commission ) you can scroll through and find numerous documents. Links to recordings of CRC committee meetings are near the bottom of the page.
Here’s the final resolution passed by the CRC: https://www.sanjuanco.com/DocumentCenter/View/24878/2021-SJC-Charter-Review-Commission-Resolution?bidId= This includes the list of proposed amendments for the November ballot and recommendations to County Council.
Here’s the full language of the four amendments presented for the 2022 ballot: https://www.sanjuanco.com/DocumentCenter/View/24877/CRC-2022-Propositions?bidId=
Here’s the full content of the eight Recommendations to County Council and county staff: https://www.sanjuanco.com/DocumentCenter/View/24876/CRC-Recommendations?bidId=
After sitting in through mid-June 2021 on almost every full meeting of our 18 duly elected, unpaid Charter Review Commissioners, and almost every committee meeting of the Process Committee and Climate and Environment Committee, I have to say I have a great deal of respect for the Commissioners and all the work they put into thoroughly reviewing and considering every angle of our Charter. In my view, they did a good job respecting one another despite disagreements, and trying to incorporate the contributions of members of the public who spoke at public meetings and town halls, and submitted written public comments. It looked like democracy in action.
Their Proposed Amendments deserve full consideration via the November 2022 ballot and their Recommendations by County Council and staff.
Alexandra, thank you for posting your comment with those well-organized details so that people can be fully informed.