Some Propositions to Reform the Electoral Process
As reflected in the competing proposals below, my libertarian ethos has not yet provided me with a clear sense of direction on the best way to run an election; to date, I am left with the sense no system is perfect but something seems to have gone wrong in US elections in a way that is not true of many other countries such as the UK because a critical degree of accountability has been lost, especially when control of the House, Senate, and/or Presidency are divided. These proposals are worded as changes to the current law governing US elections.
- Electoral districts shall be abolished in favor of a single-transferable-vote or other proportional voting system.
- The first-past-the-post voting system shall be abolished in favor of an instant-runoff voting system.
- Electoral districts shall be redrawn following each census based on a formula intended to minimize the number of “wasted votes” within each jurisdiction based on the results of elections in the preceding decade.
- Electoral districts shall be redrawn following each census based on a formula intended to minimize the variance of geographic district shape.
- Boundaries between contiguous states shall be disregarded in redrawing federal electoral districts.
- The office of Vice-President shall be abolished.
- If a President dies, becomes incapacitated, resigns, or otherwise leaves office more than eight months prior to the end of her or his term, she or he shall be replaced in a special election.
- The electoral college shall be abolished, and the President elected directly.
- The electoral college shall be abolished, and the President elected for four-year terms by the House of Representatives.
- The electoral college shall be abolished, and the House of Representatives shall have the power to elect and recall the President as it sees fit.
- The Senate shall be abolished.
- Direct election of Senators shall be abolished, and Senators elected by the governments of their respective States.
- No person may run for any elected office who has ever held any elected office before.
- No person may run for any elected office within any government who has ever held any elected office in the same government before.
- No person may run for more than one term in any elected office.
- No person may run for more than one term in any elected executive office.
- No person may run for more than three terms in any elected legislative office.
- No person may run for any elected office who has ever served as a judge.
- A US Representative’s single term in office shall be 4 (or 6) years.
- A Senators’ single term in office shall be 10 years.
- The term of the President shall be lengthened to 6 (or 8) years.
