A democracy should be as vibrant and diverse as California itself. The Common Sense Party is built on the idea that we need pragmatic, inclusive leadership that moves beyond the polarized “us vs. them” mentality. By adopting RCV and Multi-Member Districts (MMDs), we can finally create a system where every voter has a reason to show up and a voice that is actually heard.

The Power of Choice: Single-Winner RCV
Single-winner RCV is a straightforward, sensible upgrade for executive offices like Governor or Mayor. It ensures that the person who wins has the broadest possible support from the community. Instead of being forced to vote against the candidate we hate, we get to vote for the candidates we like, in order of preference.

I’ve heard the concerns from some posters that this might be too complex. But the real-world evidence tells a different story:

Voters get it: In Alaska’s 2022 RCV elections, 85% of voters found the process “simple” or “very simple.”

High Confidence: In New York City’s 2021 RCV primary, 95% of voters reported their ballot was easy to complete across all demographics.

Better Campaigns: RCV incentivizes candidates to reach beyond their base, reducing the vitriol that plagues our current politics.

Expanding the Table: Multi-Member Districts
While RCV improves single-winner races, adding MMDs for our legislative bodies is the key to much better, fairer representation. This is where the Common Sense Party and other independent voices can truly thrive.

Giving Minor Parties a Seat: In a 5-member district, a candidate needs about 17% of the vote to win. This allows minor parties and independents to gain a foothold without needing to beat a major party incumbent in a head-to-head race.

Making Every Vote Count: Currently, if you are a moderate in a deep-blue or deep-red district, your vote often feels wasted. In an MMD, you can combine your vote with like-minded neighbors across a wider area to elect a representative who actually shares your values.

A Common Sense Future
I acknowledge the worry that this requires a more informed electorate, as some have pointed out. But we should never use the need for voter education as an excuse to stick with a broken status quo.

The Common Sense Party stands for a government that works for the “exhausted majority.” Transitioning to RCV and MMDs isn’t about making things complicated—it’s about making our elections honest. It’s about ensuring that if 20% of Californians want a pragmatic, common-sense alternative, they actually get 20% of the seats.

One last point: with regard to other alternative voting systems like STAR, I personally have no problem with them. Each election system has pros and cons. But pragmatically, RCV and PRCV are already used in the US, and their popularity continues to increase. Other systems have huge legal and administrative barriers that should not just be waived off. RCV and MMDs/PRCV are effectively “turnkey” reforms that are FAR more likely to actually happen. That’s why I focus my energy on them — and because they’re genuinely meaningful and helpful reforms.

Let’s move past the fear of complexity and embrace a system that gives us new reason to be proud of our democracy.