WATCH: Want to Expand Voter Rights? Support Ranked Choice Voting

“Do you support voting rights and voter empowerment? Do you support inclusion, diversity, and unity for the party and for the United States of America? If you support these things, you should support ranked choice voting,” says Friedman.

Friedman gave his remarks on the convention floor of the 2017 Massachusetts Democratic Convention. His goal was to convince the 4,500 delegates present to vote in support of ranked choice voting.

And his speech may have had a huge impact. The Massachusetts Democratic Party voted Saturday to add an amendment to the party’s new platform supporting ranked choice voting.

According to FairVote, 3 bills were introduced in the Massachusetts General Court in 2017.

“SD 485 would allow cities and towns to incorporate ranked choice voting, while HB 2897 would do the same for certain municipalities,” reports FairVote. “The latter already has thirty-one cosponsors. In addition, HB 377 would enable ranked choice voting for all statewide offices.”

According to FairVote, “ranked choice voting is used to elect city officers in 11 cities today, with two cities awaiting implementation as soon as voting equipment is ready.”

Additionally, Maine voters approved the implementation of ranked choice voting in November 2016 for all statewide and congressional races.

Maine lawmakers, however, may soon go against the will of their voters after the state Supreme Court issued a non-binding opinion that ranked choice voting was in conflict with a state constitutional provision that deals with 3 state general elections.

Yet the Maine Supreme Court did not find a constitutional conflict with primary and federal elections — most elections under ranked choice voting.

This article was originally published on IVN.us a non-profit news platform for independent writers, and authored by Thomas A. Hawk.