The Worst Way We Elect State Reps in America (+ better/worse alternatives)

1 month ago
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The Bloc with Partial Abstention system of electing State Representatives is the worst way we are currently electing State Reps in America. While there are worse systems such as Bloc and Cumulative which disenfranchise even more voters, the BPA system encourages political parties to run "single shot" candidates knowing that many partisans on the other side will forget or not know to "vote for two/three/four." In Arizona, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Vermont, the BPA system is used. However, it usage differs in each state. Maryland and South Dakota utilize both the Post system and the BPA system whereas the State Senate of West Virginia uses the Staggered system. In Wisconsin, a Single Member District state, they utilize a system where all of the State House districts neatly fit into the geography of State Senate districts. This way, candidates can still "slate up" and save donors / party resources without utilizing a Multi Member District format.

Rep. Cory McGarr, who was defeated this year by a Single Shot candidate, introduced a bill which would have ended the BPA system in Arizona and replaced it with the Post system. This bill was held in the Senate and was opposed by all of the Democrats in Arizona. It was supported by the one Republican who used single shotting to win in a Biden / Harris-dominant district and was opposed by all four Democrats who used it to win in Trump-dominant districts.

(Some states call their State Reps "State Assemblymen" or a variety of other things. We have State Houses, State Assemblies, and others. There is no standard so I use the term "State Representative" and "State House" and "State Senate" as catch-all terms even if they are not what are used in that particular State.)

Thank you for your time! God Bless Arizona!

Website: https://Ari.Republican

X/Twitter: https://x.com/AriBradshawAZ

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