Getting out the Public Comment
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Rachel MacNair
May 4, 2023, 4:32:56 PM5/4/23
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
Since Larry and I are attending all the business meetings on Tuesdays for the Charter Review Commission, we know one co-chair is keeping a count of number of comments. So written comments of any length do make a difference. Remember to send yours in: public.t...@kcmo.org
There will be some of us leafleting this weekend people going in and out of the Brookside Art Fair. That was a fantastic place to collect signatures and so will have many supporters there, and also a good spot to educate.
I've attached flyers for encouraging people to submit written comments to the City Charter Commission, and also to come to next Monday's listening session. The first two are the same, in Word and pdf, and will be quarter-pagers that need to be cut. The second two are also the same, in Word and pdf, and are full-page flyers that can just be printed without cutting.
For this weekend, if you could print up as many as you need and get these out to friends and neighbors, people at your book club or church, etc., then perhaps we can make an especially good impression Monday. Once Monday is over, that part can be removed and the flyer would just be about sending in the written comments.
And of course anyone that would like to help leaflet the art fair would be welcome.
Monday, May 8, 6 PM
Southeast Community Center, 4201 East 63rd Street
Rachel MacNair is coordinating for us for this meeting down south - call or text 816-753-2057
-- Rachel MacNair
Voice and text: 816-753-2057
Rachel MacNair
May 8, 2023, 4:44:42 PM5/8/23
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
Here's the last call for the Charter Review Commission this evening, and now they've announced where the next one will be next week.
Public comments are limited to two minutes, and they just listen - not asking questions. We need all the comments we can get for ranked choice voting!
They may recommend the Council put it on the ballot in August, or in November, or not at all. While we don't have a lot of vigorous opposition in the public, we do have election officials nervous about change and the KC law department with long-standing hostility, and both of those have influence on the commissioners. We need to make our voices loud and clear!
Monday, May 8, 6 PM
Southeast Community Center, 4201 East 63rd Street
Monday, May 15, 6 PM
Gregg/Klice Community Center 1600 E 17th Terrace
Rachel MacNair
May 9, 2023, 12:20:23 PM5/9/23
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
The KC Charter Review Commission's agenda was to start with topics of their choosing. Ranked choice voting (RCV) wasn't one of them. So we thought we'd have to wait for general comments at the end.
But since one of the topics was an idea that anyone who got over 50% of the vote in a primary didn't need to run again in the general, and since RCV already has that feature automatically but also means we don't have to spend time and money on the second election at all, one person got up to address RCV then. And so several of us did.
There were eight people who commented in favor of RCV - and no one at all who commented against it. Larry Bradley and I would have been two more, but the commissioners have heard from us plenty (and know they will again), and we thought the presentation was already fantastic, with no misconceptions to straighten out, so we both passed when our names were called.
Most of the comments were high quality. We had a retired judge who addressed Missouri statutes and pointed out that they said nothing about RCV because legislators weren't even thinking about that when they were drafted decades ago. A couple of people addressed the point of there being no RCV precedent in Missouri by pointing out the Kansas City would of course be the precedent, the model for other cities.
The audience of roughly 30 people also included a big deal about whether the short time the commission has, a matter of weeks, is enough for a ten-year review of the city's constitution. It took four months at the last one in 2013. Some of the commissioners have expressed that as well. So commissioners may either say they're going longer and put everything on the November ballot instead of August, or they can just give preliminary recommendations for the current Council to consider putting on the August ballot and leave the rest for the new Council taking office August 1 to put on the November ballot. Or they could decide they've had enough, make all their recommendations by the mayor's deadline, and have everything proposed for the August ballot.
In that last scenario, we're more likely to be out of luck. The sense I get is that for many of them, RCV is s new thing and a big thing. They don't want to put their name on a recommendation for it so quickly, without time to think it through. They're more likely to do it with a bit more time, as the novelty of it to them wears off.
They've scheduled another listening session for next week. Due to deadlines, they'll decide the next day (May 16) whether they're sending all recommendations to the Council and being done, or sending some and continuing, or sending none and continuing. If they do continue, then more listening sessions are likely to be coming up.
Monday, May 15, 6 PM
Gregg/Klice Community Center 1600 E 17th Terrace
Public comments are limited to two minutes, and they just listen - not asking questions.
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For written testimony, that can be done any time:
by email to: public.t...@kcmo.org
An online form is at the bottom of:
in...@betterballotkc.org
May 10, 2023, 3:13:37 PM5/10/23
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
Betsy Webster did a fine job of reporting on the public listening session Monday night on KCTV 5:
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As for Tuesday night's business meeting at the Charter Review Commission, we had another productive time as far as answering their questions and concerns and making our own comments was concerned.
However, they seem to still be in "lean against" mode; they know of advantages, but they're worried about various concerns; in their own words: "concerns about permissibility and implementation in accordance with RSMo 115, lack of precedent with other municipalities in MO, concerns that RCV may reduce voter turnout amongst certain voter populations, public perception around election integrity with RCV, and increased software/equipment costs for Election Authorities."
All of those concerns have been debunked or otherwise addressed more than once, but they may need to hear several more times, worded different ways from different people. And they definitely need more people to understand the public wants this.
In any event, they definitely need to hear from many people. They're tallying up the comments, so if we can match or exceed this week's number of eight comments, we'll be in excellent shape. Please consider coming and/or sending friends to make comments.
Monday, May 15, 6 PM
Gregg/Klice Community Center 1600 E 17th Terrace
Public comments are limited to two minutes, and they just listen - not asking questions.
=========================================
For written testimony, that can be done any time:
in...@betterballotkc.org
May 15, 2023, 11:06:18 AM5/15/23
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
If the KC Charter Review Commission decides to keep the the mayor's timeline for getting charter amendments on the August ballot, then this meeting will be the final listening session for public comment:
Monday, May 15, 6 PM
Gregg/Klice Community Center 1600 E 17th Terrace
Public comments are limited to two minutes, and they just listen - not asking questions.
Tuesday Decisions
At the meeting on May 16, they will from our perspective make one of three decisions:
1. They'll keep the mayor's deadline, and recommend putting RCV on the ballot.
It would then go to the city council, and the council will decide whether to put it on the ballot. We think we have a majority vote on this council; we've been working on them for years and know who will definitely and who will probably vote yes. So long as it's introduced. We haven't been able to get anyone to introduce it, but if the CRC sends it to them, then it's introduced. They can decide to put it on the August ballot if they act quickly enough (by May 25), but they can also decide to put it on the November ballot, or it would go on in November if they tarry until after May 25 to make the decision.
But commissioners haven't yet put RCV in their set of proposals, and have expressed strong reservations
2. They'll keep the deadline, and not recommend putting RCV on the ballot.
Then Track 1, to get the CRC to start the process of putting it on the ballot, is dead. We move to Track 2, which is to get the new Council that takes office August 1 to do it. If we can get them to do it right away, it would then be on the November ballot. This would add more urgency to getting the best Council members for us elected - which is already urgent since the new Council would be the one to do implementing legislation.
3. They'll decide the mayor's timeline is too short, and decide to keep going.
This may be good for us, in that part of their hesitation for some of them is that RCV is a new idea to them and they need to get used to it and be thoroughly educated on it before feeling comfortable recommending it.
But this would mean that having it on the ballot in August is out of the question. November would still be a real possibility.
Remember to get written comment in, especially if you can't make the public sessions. Comments don't need to be fancy, and your personal experience in explaining RCV to people would be especially valuable.
Rachel MacNair
May 15, 2023, 9:29:38 PM5/15/23
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
We outdid ourselves, better than last week - a cool dozen people made positive comments about RCV at the KC Charter Review Commission this evening. Unfortunately, there were also four people who made negative comments (all of which were reactions with all assertions not backed up by experience or data), but of course we'll always have those in a democracy.
So we've made a good showing, and if the commission doesn't recommend putting RCV on the ballot, it won't be because we failed to show that people wanted them to.
We have one more day for the written comments - tomorrow is the deadline, and by noon is ideal if you want them to have read it by the evening business meeting. That's the deadline if they keep the mayor's mandated timeline; if they decide extend it instead, then of course the deadline for comment also gets extended.
We should have a decision at the meeting tomorrow night:
1) They're done, and they'll recommend RCV to the Council to go on the ballot;
2 ) They're done, and they'll not recommend RCV;
3 ) They'll keep going.
We'll let you know how it goes.
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For written testimony, that can be done any time:
-- Rachel MacNair
Voice and text: 816-753-2057
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Rachel MacNair
May 17, 2023, 9:35:34 AM5/17/23
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
The decision of the KC Charter Review Commission last night (May 16) was to include in their report a recommendation that the City Council study ranked choice voting. Since the current council is on its way out and winding down, and no assertive recommendation to put it on the August ballot is included, the practical effect of this is that we need to turn our attention to the new council. It will be elected on June 20 and takes office August 1. If we can get them to act quickly, it could be on the ballot this November; if they act but act slowly, it could be next year.
We did do a fine job of showing public outpouring in favor of RCV, which commissioners acknowledged. We're preparing video clips of the impressive testimony our people gave in front of the Commission, and we'll let you know when that's ready.
As you can see on our page on Candidate Stances, we're in good shape on council elections, but have work to do. Specifically:
Of the 5 incumbents who already did well in the primary and will therefore likely win in June, three are strong supporters. The other two are still on the fence, but we're optimistic with them.
One of the two candidates with no opponent, who will therefore win, is a strong supporter. (The other one is one if the on-the-fence incumbents).
Two of the races have candidates where we have a supporter whichever one wins (one is an open seat and the other a strong-supporter incumbent.)
Two races have both candidates up in the air, but being worked on well.
And four competitive races have a strong supporter running against a non-supporter or not-yet supporter.
So we have a best-case scenario of having unanimous strong support, and a worst-case scenario of four strong supporters and others that will probably be helpful.
We still have candidates we're trying to bring on board - we want it so that whichever candidate wins, we're in - but we do have enough strong support now to think this path may work.
Anything any of you can do to help our stronger supporters win, or to turn no-position-yet candidates into supporters, would be most helpful now.
Rachel MacNair
May 30, 2023, 3:26:33 PM5/30/23
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
Our web page with clips of comments at the Charter Review Commission is now done, and documents how impressive was the outpouring of support we were able to generate.
See our page on Candidate Stances for more detail, but here's the basic rundown of who our supporters are among the candidates running:
June 20, 2023
Kansas City MO
City Council races
District 1 at-large:
Kevin O'Neill
District 1:
Chris Gahagan
District 2 at-large:
Jenay Manley & Lindsay French
District 2:
Wes Rogers
District 3:
Melissa Robinson
District 4 at-large:
Justin Short
District 4:
Eric Bunch & Henry Rizzo
District 5 at-large:
Michael Kelley
District 6:
Johnathan Duncan
We'll be in so much better shape, the more of our supporters win! They'll take office August 1, and they need to decide by August 24 if they want to get RCV on the November ballot this year.
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in...@betterballotkc.org
Jun 5, 2023, 10:54:57 AM6/5/23
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
If we had ranked choice voting this election season, we'd be done with city races in April and wouldn't have to come back again to vote in June. That election coming up in June is the best time to make that point to voters. It's uppermost on their minds. It's a teachable moment.
While we want RCV for a variety of reasons, we find that argument, saving time and money, is the quickest argument. Voters tend to be willing to hear the other reasons explained out once they're already considering the idea positively because of that.
Also, our current strategy is to try to get the new Council to put it on the November ballot this year. If we succeed, this will be the best time to build up the "yes" vote, concentrated among those people most likely to actually vote in an issues-only ballot. (There may be an election August 8, but foreseeably low turnout and hot weather, so not as promising).
Our friends at Vote16MO covered dozens of polls this last April and will do this again June 20. Their campaign is to get the state legislature to lower the voting age for local and school board elections from 18 to 16; we encourage you to check out their reasoning.
But since we'll have so many covered, I'm asking you all to think now of which poll you'd prefer to cover, whether for a few handouts or for all day or somewhere in between. You can grab that spot now, so once we get it registered for you, the Vote16MO folks can take what isn't already covered by other volunteers.
I'm coordinating who goes where and so have the full list of polling places. We have an ample supply of the cards we'll pass out, pictured here:
Front Back
So please either hit reply to let me know of your interest, or give me a call or text.
Also, if you'd like some of the cards to pass out to your friends, let me know and we can send those to you. The personal touch is always more effective than a mailer!
-- Rachel MacNair
Voice and Text: 816-753-2057
in...@betterballotkc.org
Jun 9, 2023, 4:58:24 PM6/9/23
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
We don't make endorsements in the city council races - after all, there are two races where both candidates support ranked choice voting (RCV), and we'll work with whichever one wins. But in those races where one supports and the other doesn't yet, we'll be so much better off with the new Council if our supporters win.
Here we have a graphic that you can feel free to use wherever graphics are good - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
And I attach pdfs for low-toner flyers that you can print up for use in venues where passing out paper makes sense. One needs to be cut in half and is the one we're passing out, and the other is full page for those who find cutting to be a problem.
Also, remember I'm coordinating who goes to what polling place to build the yes vote by educating the people most likely to vote in our election. Please contact me to get the polling place of your choice, whether for just a handful of cards, a few hours, or all day.
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in...@betterballotkc.org
Jun 16, 2023, 2:56:36 PM6/16/23
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
Remember if you haven't yet to check our page on candidate stances to know who supports RCV. Michael Kelley has a new video in which he puts getting RCV as one of his top priorities once he gets in office.
Our plan is to update that candidate stances page on Wednesday, June 21, switching to who got elected, with the stances of the new Council members. I also expect to send out an email update on how we did, and what it means for our strategy.
We're leafleting people coming out of the polls on Tuesday, since this is the highest concentration of people who we know show up to vote that we'll have for the rest of the year. Below again are the cards we're passing out on Tuesday. If you can help out - even just taking a handful and taking a few minutes to pass them out after voting yourself, before heading out - every little bit helps. Please let me know.
-- Rachel MacNair
Voice and text: 816-753-2057
Cards on the porch available at any time: 811 Cleaver II Blvd.
Front & Back
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Rachel MacNair
Jun 19, 2023, 3:51:29 PM6/19/23
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
Our page on candidate stances on ranked choice voting is available to find out who supports it. If you're a KC MO voter, be sure to remember to vote tomorrow (Tuesday), and encourage your friends to also. And if you're not KC MO, then encourage your friends who are to be sure to vote.
Our plan is to update that candidate stances page the morning after the election, switching to who got elected. I also expect to send out an email update on how we did, and what it means for our strategy.
For those who decide last minute that they'd like to pass out cards (pictured below) at a poll, there are two ways to pick up a set:
My front porch has a lidded plastic box on a table with cards and a folder with sign-up sheets for those interested: 811 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd.
I will have extra lit with me where I'm leafleting. I expect to be at:
Paradise Baptist Church, 1600 East 58th Street
We have assignments for people spending hours, but we're happy to have coverage anywhere, no matter how long - even a few minutes is a real contribution.
You can call and text me all day, but do remember that if I'm in the middle of educating someone I may have to get back with you once that's done.
Rachel MacNair
Jun 21, 2023, 8:03:09 AM6/21/23
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
As most often happens in the real world, we got neither best case scenario nor plausible worst case scenario, but in between. We're in good shape, but have plenty of work to do.
Members of the new Council who definitely favor ranked choice voting:
Kevin O'Neil (District 1 at-large - Incumbent)
Lindsay French (District 2 at-large)
Wes Rogers (District 2)
Melissa Robinson (District 3 - Incumbent)
Eric Bunch (District 4 - Incumbent)
Johnathan Duncan (District 6)
Members of the new Council who haven't yet formed a firm position, but we're optimistic:
Melissa Patterson Hazley (District 3 at-large)
Crispin Rea (District 4 at-large)
Ryana Parks-Shaw (District 5 - Incumbent)
Andrea Bough (District 6 at-large - Incumbent)
Members of the new Council who haven't yet formed a firm position and have a strong need for getting more positive information:
Nathan Willet (District 1)
Darrel Curls (District 5 at-large)
In all cases, any of you that have any connections with any of the new Council members are encouraged to have a word with them about the importance of ranked choice voting for our city.
Rachel MacNair
Aug 8, 2023, 6:32:51 PM8/8/23
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
We just got word that the Kansas City Star will be running an editorial after 8:30 am tomorrow, Wednesday August 9, from our own Larry Bradley. It's a response to an editorial they ran about the No Labels Party and the danger of third-party bids under our current system - one of the many problems for which ranked choice voting (RCV) is a solution. So Larry explains that out. Be sure to watch for it.
On the City Council front:
The new Council members were all sworn in Tuesday and started work on Thursday passing legislation. Various aides don't know if there will be a November ballot in KC MO this year or not, so we're still trying to find out. If there is one, then there's an August 29 deadline for getting anything on the ballot (in practical terms, that's August 24, since Thursdays are the weekly Council meeting). And we'd want to push hard for RCV to be on that November ballot if a November ballot exists. However, if there's no November ballot for anything else, they're not likely to hold an election just for us.
But we do know that there's already at least one item set for the April 2024 ballot. If November is simply too fast to deal with for them, we'd still like them to hop on getting it on the April ballot as soon as possible, since changing us from a "hey, RCV is a great idea" to "hey, please vote yes on Question X" will make a huge difference in our ability to campaign.
We'll keep you posted.
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in...@betterballotkc.org
Aug 9, 2023, 8:52:40 PM8/9/23
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
Here's the Kansas City Star editorial.
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We encourage you to add comments - they provide yet more education, and they let the Star know that there's interest in covering this.
in...@betterballotkc.org
Sep 8, 2023, 12:22:50 PM9/8/23
to Better Ballot KC
There will be three issues on the November 7, 2023 ballot in Kansas City, MO. The big one is renewing a sales tax for keeping the buses free. The parks want to sell a small bit of land and need voters' permission. And there's a local use tax for Jackson County.
So the voters that show up will mainly be the kind that always show up. Along with people excited about the buses who can be talked into coming out to vote if we get them excited about ranked choice voting.
That means we have a concentration of voters likely to vote this coming April. This is a crucial opportunity for building the yes vote, with one-on-one conversations with mainly receptive people as they come out of the polls. We've done this for years, and find a lot of support that way.
City Council Scenarios
We very much want to get this on the April 2, 2024 ballot. That's before the major state-wide and presidential races drown out all issues. It gives plenty of time to prepare to use RCV, which election officials don't want any rush job for. And it lets voters know that a successful petition drive isn't being ignored.
We're trying to talk Council members into this schedule: if they have the hearing and vote by mid-October, then we have time to do literature specific to the election - "Vote Yes on Question X on April 2, 2023." We'd have time to recruit volunteers and get organized.
While we have enough support on the Council to be confident it will pass once introduced, and we're confident in our ability to put on a fine-quality hearing since we have lots of practice, the current Council members aren't yet prioritizing getting the bill introduced.
So while this is a plausible schedule, it's not one we can count on. But we're nothing if not flexible, so here are other scenarios we prepare for:
* They pass it, but so close to the November election that we don't have time to print up lit. Fine - we use our regular lit, and tell voters verbally that it will be Question X on April 2.
* They have the bill introduced and the hearing has happened, but they haven't yet voted on it by November 7. OK, so we use our regular lit and tell people that we expect it will be on the April ballot since Council has had the hearing and will vote soon.
* They have a bill introduced, but no hearing yet. So we tell people at the polls that, and still tell them to watch out for it being on the ballot April 2.
* There's movement to introduce the bill, but it still needs to be done. That's more nerve-wracking, but we still tell voters we're hoping for the April ballot.
* They're procrastinating and nothing is happening. We actually still have plenty of time to get it on the April ballot - the deadline is January 23. But of course such a tight deadline gives us an awfully short time to campaign. Still, from our experience, it would be just like Council to butt up against the deadline. And we're best prepared for it if we've already done the most effective part of campaigning, which is educating the gathering of known voters on November 7.
Given all that, I ask everyone to seriously consider putting November 7 on your calendars for doing some leafletting at the polls - no matter which scenario plays out.
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All day, part day, 5 minutes - every little bit helps.
And of course lobbying . . .
Anyone who can speak to their Council members to encourage the process along, please do.
and our info on their RCV position: Better Ballot KC - New City Council Stances on RCV
-- Rachel MacNair
for Better Ballot KC
Voice and text: 816-753-2057
Rachel MacNair
Oct 2, 2023, 4:08:47 PM10/2/23
to Better Ballot KC
City Council
To find your distirct:
DISTRICT 1 AT-LARGE
KEVIN O'NEILL
DISTRICT 1
NATHAN WILLETT
DISTRICT 2 AT-LARGE
LINDSAY FRENCH
DISTRICT 2
WESLEY "WES" ROGERS
DISTRICT 3 AT-LARGE
MELISSA PATTERSON HAZLEY
DISTRICT 3
MELISSA ROBINSON
DISTRICT 4 AT-LARGE
CRISPIN REA
DISTRICT 4
ERIC BUNCH
DISTRICT 5 AT-LARGE
DARRELL CURLS
DISTRICT 5
RYANNA PARKS SHAW
DISTRICT 6 AT-LARGE
ANDREA BOUGH
DISTRICT 6
JOHNATHAN DUNCAN
Rachel MacNair
Oct 2, 2023, 4:13:18 PM10/2/23
to Better Ballot KC
This thing accidentally sent when I was obviously still working on it and nowhere near ready yet. Please delete the no-subject one and hold on for the actual message, coming in a few minutes.
in...@betterballotkc.org
Oct 2, 2023, 4:30:46 PM10/2/23
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
Last week we were at the Peaceworks Local Art Fair (welcome new sign-ups!). Last Tuesday we were on Radioactive Magazine on KCUR, urging people - especially those who signed to petition for us, or want to have - to contact their city council members asking why those members aren't acting on getting this issue to a vote so that voters can decide. And in addition to the petitions, see clips of public testimony at the City Charter Review listening sessions.
This coming week, we'll table at the Midwest Soul Vegfest at Swope Parkway, so if you're there, be sure to drop by.
And we're continually talking to City Council members. But we'd have far more success if we had back-up. Phone calls especially, usually either to aides or voicemails, would help.
Below I've listed the Council members with their phone numbers. If you prefer emails, the first address is for the Council member and the second one for their aides.
If you could take just a few minutes to at least let your own district Council members know how important it is to listen to the thousands of citizens who signed the petition, that would help. At this point, because of that petition drive, it should no longer be a question of whether or not they like ranked choice voting well enough to put it on the ballot. It should be a question of why they think it's OK to deprive citizens of the right to decide this issue when the citizens have so clearly asked for it.
City Council
You can see pictures of them and find what they told us their stances were during the recent campaign here.
To find your district:
- Parcel Viewer. When you enter your last name and first name, it brings up a lot of information including your district number and trash day.
- You can also view a map of the Council districts.
Rachel MacNair
Oct 5, 2023, 2:14:32 PM10/5/23
to Better Ballot KC
Republican Henry Olsen has a powerful analysis of an impact of RCV in the upcoming presidential primaries, because the Virgin Islands - of all places - will be using RCV in its primary. That's a small place without any representation in Congress and only a handful of delegates, but it goes third after Iowa and New Hampshire, and Olsen explains what an impact RCV could have even being used in a small place like that;
Opinion | The Virgin Islands could play a key role in choosing the GOP nominee - The Washington Post
I've copied below again the info on contacting city council - now's the strategic time to leave them a voicemail.
-- Rachel MacNair
Rachel MacNair
Oct 9, 2023, 11:49:23 AM10/9/23
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
I was reading through this piece and thinking to myself how much RCV would help solve what he was talking about, and wishing people would understand that - when lo and behold, he spent the rest of the article making that very point!
Opinion | What We Can Do to Make the House Less Dysfunctional - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Excerpt:
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"So reformers have to look for ways forward within the primary system. They should structure primary elections in ways that incentivize actual legislative work and draw into politics a type of officeseeker inclined to appeal to a broader range of voters and to build coalitions.
Ranked-choice voting in primaries could be particularly promising. A ranked-choice election allows voters to select multiple candidates in order of preference and then have their vote count on behalf of their second or third choice if their first or second choice is not among the top vote getters. In most forms, it is essentially an automatic runoff. From the point of view of candidates, such a system creates a strong reason to be many voters’ second choice, as well as the first choice of some. That naturally invites a coalition-building mind-set and could do a better job of attracting candidates capable of broad appeal both on the campaign trail and in office. It would compel politicians to feel accountable to a broader swath of voters, even in safe districts where only the primary matters."
I also mentioned last week that there was this opinion piece in a major media outlet:
In both cases, these articles make a case for the Republicans. Most of our Council members and the Missouri House Representatives from our area are Democrats and so might not be particularly impressed with them, and many of our supporters are independent or third party. But the Missouri legislature as a whole is predominantly Republican, and they passed an anti-RCV bill last year. It never passed the Missouri Senate so we're safe for now. We'd really like to convince them to use RCV state-wide, of course, but failing that, at least not do anything to try to stop cities like ours from getting RCV solidly into practice. Once cities are actually using it, then there's experience, and states are more likely to be agreeable.
in...@betterballotkc.org
Oct 10, 2023, 3:19:36 PM10/10/23
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
We had a fantastic and productive time at our booth at the Midwest Soul Veg Fest at Swope Parkway last Saturday. Welcome to all the new people who signed up for this updates list!
Our next major project to build up the yes vote will be leafleting people as they come out of the polls at the next election, coming right up - Tuesday, November 7. These are the most likely to vote at all, and they're in a civic state of mind.
We're thinking this time to expand to the Missouri suburbs. if there's enough interest. (Kansas suburbs aren't allowed by the KS state legislature to have RCV just as a city.) So if you'd rather leaflet the polls in the metro outside of KC, please let us know. Our current main card focuses on why Kansas City needs RCV, but if we have enough interest, we can easily have cards that would be specific to other parts of the metro. November 7 elections are happening in all of Jackson County and Clay County. Outside KC, Platte County has only Parkville.
If you'd like to take a poll, either in Kansas City or in a suburb, for whatever length of time, you can hit reply to respond to this message, or you can call or text me.
-- Rachel MacNair
Poll Project Coordinator
Rachel MacNair
Oct 25, 2023, 1:30:23 PM10/25/23
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
We have a huge advantage over the people who would encourage a "no" vote on ranked choice voting for city elections. We're active in persuading voters, and they aren't. Of course they aren't - why tell people to vote no without a ballot measure in place? But it might be on the ballot as soon as next April. It may be later, but still in plenty of time for the next city elections in 2027.
We don't have lots of money and never will. But we have a huge advantage: people who don't yet know about ranked choice voting only need a minute or two of explanation, one little friendly interaction, and the vast majority are then in favor of it. There are very few other issues where you can get so many people from neutral to positive so quickly and easily.
Once it's on the ballot, though, there will be naysayers who don't like change. And we can foresee the way the City Council operates that they might put it on close to deadline, giving us very little campaigning time.
So the more we use low-tech, low-expense methods such as leafletting voters as they come out of the polls, the more solid our base is when the naysayers and short timeframe hit.
If you'd like to take a poll, for whatever length of time, you can hit reply to respond to this message, or you can call or text me.
Also, if you only want to pass our cards to a few of your friends, every little bit helps, and we can mail you a set. The cards are pictured below.
And if you know of other good places we could leaflet or table, let us know.
-- Rachel MacNair
Poll Project Coordinator
in...@betterballotkc.org
Oct 31, 2023, 2:00:51 PM10/31/23
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
Weather forecast for Tuesday, November 7 as of now: high of 52 and sunny. You can't do much better for early November.
It's an issues-only ballot, but this is the highest concentration of people that we know do come out to vote as we can ever find.
If you'd like to take a poll, for whatever length of time, you can hit reply to respond to this message, or you can call or text me.
Also, if you only want to pass our cards to a few of your friends, every little bit helps, and we can mail you a set. The cards are pictured below.
-- Rachel MacNair
Rachel MacNair
Nov 3, 2023, 9:52:16 AM11/3/23
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
Weather forecast for Tuesday, November 7 as of now: high of 70, low of 50 and sunny. You can't do much better for any time of year.
This is the highest concentration of people that we know do come out to vote as we can ever find. Also, it's still possible we can talk the City Council into putting ranked choice voting on the ballot for next April's ballot. If they do, this is our last chance to get a concentration of voters before then.
If you'd like to take a poll, for whatever length of time, you can hit reply to respond to this message, or you can call or text me.
The cards are pictured below. There's a box of them on a table on my front porch, so you can pick them up at any time this weekend or Monday, or even on election day.
-- Rachel MacNair
Poll Project Coordinator
Front porch:
811 Cleaver II Blvd
(same as East 47th Street)
east of the Nelson art gallery, west of Troost
no parking in front due to bike path; best parking on Campbell north of Cleaver II
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Rachel MacNair
Nov 6, 2023, 4:01:12 PM11/6/23
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
Weather forecast for tomorrow as of now: high of 74, low of 54 and sunny. Everyone needs an excuse to be outdoors, which works since we're supposed to be over 25 feet from the door of polls.
If you decided to do some of this at the last minute, here are ways to get the cards (pictured below)
* on a box on the table on my front porch at 811 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd
(same as where you'd expect East 47th Street to be)
* I'll be at Sunlight Missionary Baptist Church, 4444 Woodland, and I'll have plenty of extras if you want to swing by and pick them up from me.
* up north of the river, Larry Bradley has a set. You can call or text him at 402-321-4851,
-- Rachel MacNair
Voice and text: 816-753-2057
Front porch:
811 Cleaver II Blvd
(same as East 47th Street)
east of the Nelson art gallery, west of Troost
no parking in front due to bike path; best parking on Campbell north of Cleaver II
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Rachel MacNair
Nov 8, 2023, 9:53:20 AM11/8/23
to Better Ballot KC
There was a 22-city winning streak before yesterday and now it's up to 25. Two were close, but one was good and high, showing what's possible for us if we work hard.
All in Michigan, yes to ranked choice voting:
East Lansing, 52.5%
Kalamazoo, 71%
Royal Oak, 50.52%
Below are pictures from some of our folks out yesterday. We leafleted people with information for the future election, mainly as they came out, and we found the normal friendly reception we find from most of them. Many know of ranking already, and many of those who don't find it make sense once they get a short explanation.
in...@betterballotkc.org
Dec 8, 2023, 1:23:31 PM12/8/23
to Better Ballot KC
Update on Target Date for the RCV Election
(trying for April 2025)
We're always eager to get moving. We hoped the new Council and recommendation for consideration from the City Charter Review Commission - along with our successful petition drive with signatures turned in April 2022 - would give momentum for putting ranked choice voting (RCV) on the ballot for April of 2024. That would apply to mayor and city council races in the next election, set for 2027.
But - new councilmembers wonder why it needs to be decided three years in advance rather than two. Two years is ample time for election officials to prepare. And the Commission was a rush job (just 5 weeks) whose recommendations appear not to be taken seriously; it may well be re-done.
More to the point, we had always said we didn't want the RCV election in August or November of 2024, when negativity would be high and any issue will be drowned out by candidate races. But in the April before, presidential race passions will already be high. And it looks like the sales tax for stadiums will be on that ballot. So we may have some negativity and drowning out in that April election too. Not as intense, but we're better off without any, if we want people voting yes.
And then there's a huge advantage to having another year. It gives us more time to educate voters and organizations of the merits. We have to do that without the advantage of gaining their ear because it's a specific question number on the ballot. We can try to gain their ear because RCV is such a very good idea and so very crucial for voters' voices and better democracy.
2024: The Year of Building Yes
Goal:
60% yes vote on ranked choice voting in the election of April 2025
Reason for 60%:
While any majority win would still be a win, and U.S. cities are currently on a 27-election winning streak in favor of RCV, we need more. The Missouri Secretary
of State and the Missouri House of Representatives have expressed opposition to ranking. They're in a position to interfere with Kansas City's desire to have it. While we try to persuade
them otherwise, it will help to make it clear that this is what voters want - not just something that squeaked by. Many
cities have passed it with percentages this high or higher, so it’s an entirely
realistic goal.
Building Yes Social Event - early March 2024
Exact date and place to be announced, but we certainly need to get together! Just as we did at the beginning of the petition drive. And there will be food.
The Program:
* How to talk to your friends about RCV
* How to talk to your organizations
* Planning for leafletting voters at the three elections (April, August, November), plus other event leafletting and tabling
* Brainstorming session
* Plenty of chances to chat with others working on this
-- Rachel MacNair
Rachel MacNair
Jan 2, 2024, 4:42:34 PMJan 2
to Better Ballot KC
The date for our social get-together (with food!) to brainstorm and organize will be in early March. Exact date and location TBA soon.
2024: The Year of Building Yes
for Ranked Choice Voting in Kansas City MO
Goal:
60% yes vote on ranked
choice voting in the election of April 2025
Reason for 60%:
The Missouri Secretary of State and the Missouri legislature have expressed opposition to ranking, and election officials tend to dislike change and new training. While we try to persuade them otherwise, we also need to make it clear that this is what voters want. Many cities have passed it with percentages this high or higher, so it’s an entirely realistic goal.
Reason for April 2025:
Two years in advance of the next city election in 2027 is ample time for election officials to prepare, but not so much time that people wonder why we’re discussing reform of an election so far off. An April election will allow attention to this issue, not drowned out by other races, as it would be in the 2024 elections.
in...@betterballotkc.org
Jan 3, 2024, 1:52:58 PMJan 3
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
The Missouri legislature is just starting and will go until mid-May. Ben Baker has again introduced a bill, which this year is HJR 104, which includes a section that would amend the Missouri State Constitution to ban ranked choice voting in the state.
Naturally, this fills us with consternation.
On the one hand, the legislature will be very busy in this election year and has some trouble with processing scandals. So there's a lot of thought they may not get much done. And if they do, this isn't making the high-priority lists according to what's in the media.
On the other hand, it did pass the House last year as HJR 66. We were saved because the Senate never took it up. So Baker is simply trying again, and he has a previous vote to make him think it could be successful.
But back on the first hand, the reason they were so exercised about it last year was that the state-wide Top Four petition bothered them because it included a jungle primary. Many Republicans think that's a Democratic plot against them. But of course having a non-partisan primary is an entirely separate thing from having ranking - you can have both, or just one and not the other. We already have non-partisan primaries for city offices in Kansas City, but there's no reason RCV couldn't be used in party primaries, or in the current system of primaries and general election. We have work to do to clear up their confusion. But in the meantime, that state-wide petition drive is over and not being re-done at the moment. So if the thing that got them excited last year is absent, that may sap energy out of pushing this.
But they did manage to have the hearing in an odd committee last year, not the elections committee, and our own friends in the legislature didn't even know about it until the hearing was over. They sneaked it past us.
This year we'll be constantly checking the web page for the bill so we know when a hearing is - if there ever is one - and can show up to explain things. We find we have good effectiveness when we explain things to people face to face.
This does underscore the need for us to work on getting a super-majority, not a mere majority, to approve RCV once we get it on the Kansas City ballot. Fortunately, we have a wide-open field now. The few opponents of RCV aren't arguing against it currently, and won't until they need to, so the first time most people will hear of it, they'll hear the positive case from us.
Information on the time and place of the get-together in early March for the Year of Building Yes will be coming shortly.
Rachel MacNair
Jan 11, 2024, 1:21:53 PMJan 11
to Better Ballot KC
Mark Your Calendars!
The date for our social get-together (with food!) to brainstorm and organize:
March 6, 2024. Reception at 5:30, talking as a group starts at 6:00 PM
Location: Plaza Library, 4801 Main Street, Large Meeting Room
in...@betterballotkc.org
Jan 14, 2024, 4:30:00 PMJan 14
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
We're pleased to report that the Kansas City Star just today published a guest commentary from our own Larry Bradley, which was a response to a different opinion piece they published previously:
-------------------------------------------------------
Mark Your Calendars!
in...@betterballotkc.org
Jan 19, 2024, 1:19:22 PMJan 19
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
The good news is that, just like last year, Missouri state representative Eric Wood has introduced a bill providing for ranked choice voting in Missouri elections.
That's not part of a good-news bad-news announcement - it's all good. But we don't need to get excited, because the fate the bill met last year is quite likely to be its fate this year as well. Its sponsor is a Democrat, and a fairly new one at that, in a Republican-dominated legislature. It wasn't even assigned to committee last year, and it probably won't be this year either.
Nevertheless, we can always hope, and we'll watch out for opportunities.
As we mentioned in a previous e-mail, there's also a bill which includes a provision to actually ban RCV, sponsored by a Republican, and it's already been assigned to the elections committee. We'll keep monitoring, and if it ever has hearings, we know how to show up quickly and make well thought out presentations; we've done it before.
This year's session is noted for them having an awful lot of things on their plate. We anticipate that, now that there's no state-wide petition suggesting use of RCV, they may put their attention on other things. But of course we take nothing for granted, and will keep a close watch.
There's not any action on this needed at the moment - Kansas City is where we have the best chance of making progress - but we'll let you know if need arises.
in...@betterballotkc.org
Jan 31, 2024, 10:07:44 AMJan 31
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
The national group FairVote has put out an updated version of its report:
Here's the executive summary:
In this report, we examine how communities of color continue to experience positive outcomes from ranked choice voting elections. Previous research has shown that more people of color are elected in RCV contests; this report uses data from 448 RCV elections to understand why that is.
Our findings include:
● Candidates of color continue to benefit from the RCV counting process.
When considering all candidates in single-winner RCV races who are active
in at least two rounds of counting, White candidates increase their vote
share between their first and final round by 12%. Candidates of other racial
or ethnic backgrounds see larger increases – led by Black candidates with a
15% increase.
● Candidates of color pay no penalty when they run against other
candidates of the same race or ethnicity. When a candidate of color is
eliminated, ballots are more likely to transfer to other candidates of the
same race or ethnicity. The median Black candidate earned 6% more votes
than expected when other Black candidates were eliminated, suggesting
a favorable transfer of support within their own community. The median
Hispanic or Latino candidate earned 12% more transfer ballots than
expected. The median Asian American or Pacific Islander candidate earned
33% more transfer ballots than expected, again indicating a positive in-group
flow of support.
● Voters of color continue to demonstrate the tendency to rank more
candidates than White voters. In a case study of the 2022 Oakland mayoral
race, Black and Hispanic or Latino voters ranked more candidates than
White voters on average. This builds on previous findings that voters of color
rank candidates at high rates.
● Naturalized citizens and permanent residents support ranked choice
voting and proportional representation. In May 2023, we launched a digital
survey for this population, and over half of respondents identified as people
of color. 81% said they would support using ranked choice voting in their
area. The groups with the highest support for ranked choice voting were
Black respondents and Hispanic or Latino respondents.
-- Rachel MacNair
for Better Ballot KC
Voice and text: 816-753-2057
-------------------------------------------------------
Mark Your Calendars!
2024: The Year of Building Yes
for Ranked Choice Voting in Kansas City MO
The date for our social get-together (with food!) to brainstorm and organize:
March 6, 2024. Reception at 5:30, talking as a group starts at 6:00 PM
Location: Plaza Library, 4801 Main Street, Large Meeting Room
.
Rachel MacNair
Feb 8, 2024, 2:31:31 PMFeb 8
to Better Ballot KC
The New York Times published this article today:
Liberals Love Ranked-Choice Voting. Will Conservatives?
|
If you don't have a subscription, they only allow a certain number of articles per month. But the biggest take away is in the sub-title:
Ranked-choice voting could be on the November ballot in four states, a sign of the system’s rising popularity. Most conservatives have opposed it. But some say that could be changing.
As is common, the article does have some misconceptions - like referring to it as a "modified" form to have only up to five rankings, when in fact having three, four, or five rankings is common. Ranking all 20 of 20 candidates would indeed be a bit much, and a lower number is normally ample.
Ranking is popular enough that a lot of the work of dealing with opposition is not people who actually oppose it, but just need their misconceptions straightened out. We'll be going over that at the meet-up on March 6 (details below), so please mark your calendars for that. It's coming right up.
-- Rachel MacNair
for Better Ballot KC
Voice and text: 816-753-2057
-------------------------------------------------------
Mark Your Calendars!
2024: The Year of Building Yes
for Ranked Choice Voting in Kansas City MO
The date for our social get-together (with food!) to brainstorm and organize:
March 6, 2024. Reception at 5:30, talking as a group starts at 6:00 PM
Location: Plaza Library, 4801 Main Street, Large Meeting Room
.
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in...@betterballotkc.org
Feb 12, 2024, 1:36:19 PMFeb 12
to Better Ballot KC
2024: The Year of Building Yes
for Ranked Choice Voting in Kansas City MO
The date for our social get-together (with food!) to brainstorm and organize:
March 6, 2024. Reception at 5:30, talking as a group starts at 6:00 PM
Location: Plaza Library, 4801 Main Street, Large Meeting Room
Questions or comments:
Rachel MacNair
Voice and text: 816-753-2057
(or hit reply for an e-mail)
.
in...@betterballotkc.org
Feb 22, 2024, 2:27:42 PMFeb 22
to Better Ballot KC
Current bills on Ranked Choice Voting (RCV):
Missouri House: HJR 104 to ban ranked choice voting. This would be a proposed constitutional amendment we'd vote on state-wide in November.
Status: A hearing was announced last Monday for the next day, so it happened on February 20. We submitted written testimony since that was too short notice to travel to Jefferson City. (That's deliberate, a common practice in the House to minimize participation.) The bill's sponsor was the only one saying anything substantive in favor. Two members of the election committee did an excellent job of speaking against it, and one person from St. Louis testified well against it. If the vote were based on the hearing, the bill would probably be dead. But of course the hearing is only part of what determines the vote.
Missouri House: HB 2244 to provide for ranked choice voting.
Status: This hasn't been assigned to committee yet and probably won't be. We can hope for future sessions. But getting RCV in the state will probably be after we can get it in several cities.
Missouri Senate: SJR 78 to ban ranked choice voting; the same as the House version.
Status: Hearing held on February 12. We had no notification and so can't say how it went.
Comment:
The current session ends in May and then the legislature won't meet again until next January. These have to either pass by May or will die and have to be reintroduced (or not) next year.
We've always known that it's easier to get RCV at the city and county level first as steppingstones to get it up to the state level - using it on a small scale makes people more comfortable with using it on a large scale.
But this also shows the importance of building the yes vote this year for the April 2025 RCV election. If RCV passes by 50.1% of the vote, then a win's a win, but the Missouri legislature might still want to mess with it.
We need to not merely win, but see if we can get over 60% of the votes. It's common to get that or better in city elections for RCV, so it's entirely realistic. And the current winning streak for cities is now 27 elections in a row where voters have passed it.
The legislature is less likely to try to counter it, especially since opponents often word their concern as out-of-state big money trying to influence how we vote. We're local citizens on a shoestring budget, and a city-wide win would show that RCV has grassroots popularity.
And we have a huge advantage this year: we have the field to ourselves. The few opponents we have aren't organizing against it in the city or with the public. We don't have a lot of money, but face-to-face contacts are our biggest strength - people are persuaded quickly with just an explanation.
We'll be covering, among other things, how to talk with friends, family, and groups you belong to at the meet-up, details below. Please come and socialize and eat with us.
in...@betterballotkc.org
Mar 4, 2024, 9:13:45 PMMar 4
to Better Ballot KC
2024: The Year of Building Yes
for Ranked Choice Voting in Kansas City MO
The date for our social get-together (with food!) to brainstorm and organize:
March 6, 2024. Reception at 5:30, talking as a group starts at 6:00 PM
Location: Plaza Library, 4801 Main Street, Large Meeting Room
There will be food to make a meal of if you want, or you can snack. We're planning to pick up hot food from Bo Ling's, with plenty of desserts and veggies and fruit.
The meet-up is informal, and if you can't make it exactly on time, then we still welcome you to come in late.
* Discussion will include how to talk to friends and family and answer any questions or comments that you come across when you do.
* We'll brainstorm about ways to get the word out, especially to neighborhood associations and civic groups.
* We have a set of places we need to leaflet that we need to sign up volunteers for (parades, art fairs, and of course elections).
Also, for those not able to make it or who otherwise prefer, we'll have a meet-up by Google Meets at 7 PM the next day, Thursday March 7 at meet.google.com/css-bmhz-fbg
(or hit reply for an e-mail)
th
.
in...@betterballotkc.org
Mar 6, 2024, 5:19:50 PMMar 6
to Better Ballot KC
in...@betterballotkc.org
Mar 7, 2024, 10:41:05 AMMar 7
to Better Ballot KC
2024: The Year of Building Yes
for Ranked Choice Voting in Kansas City MO
The meet-up at the Plaza Library yesterday evening went very well, with excellent discussion.
As we mentioned, for those not able to make it or who otherwise prefer, we'll have a meet-up by Google Meets at 7 PM the next day, Thursday March 7 at:
in...@betterballotkc.org
Mar 8, 2024, 11:20:12 AMMar 8
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
I'm afraid I have bad news. Both houses of the legislature have the ban-RCV proposals voted out of committee. There's therefore a very strong danger they'll be voted on by the full houses. Last year, this passed the Missouri House but was never taken up by the Senate. This year, the Senate has at least passed it out of committee.
If these pass, this would put a constitutional amendment on the ballot, so if we defeat it at the polls, we're in good shape. The legislators will then be far less likely to interfere with our strategy of starting out in the cities and letting it grow.
But of course that requires that we defeat it at the polls - state-wide.
Our strength is in the streets, but not in the suites. Most people are on board with just a little educating. People already in power are often also sympathetic, but it's where we're most likely to find problems, because they know how to work the system as it is. They have to be convinced for change. In this case, they have to be straightened out on a lot of misconceptions.
Fortunately, right now everything we need to do to build opposition to this possible amendment is the exact same thing we need to do to build the yes vote for getting ranking in Kansas City. We need to educate more and more of the easily-educated voters. Make sure that the first time they hear of ranking, they have a positive view of it. Make sure the case against it isn't the first thing they hear.
Please, anyone who can arrange for us to speak to any civically-minded groups, let us know.
For the next month, we have these important opportunities for mass leafletting - in all cases, the more people leafleting we have, the better:
St. Patrick’s Brookside Warm-up Parade
Saturday, March 16, 2024, 2:00 p.m.
We leaflet starting at around 1, as people are gathering, before they start watching the parade.
Kansas City's St. Patrick's Day Parade 2024
Sunday, Mar 17, 2024 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
We leaflet starting at around 10, as people are gathering, before they start watching the parade.
|
Election: Tuesday, April 2
We leaflet people coming out of the polls, after they've voted. We have a list of polling places, so if you call or text or email me, I can get you (or you and a friend) assigned to one that isn't covered yet.
-- Rachel MacNair
in...@betterballotkc.org
Mar 12, 2024, 3:46:12 PMMar 12
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
We've leafleted at the St. Patrick Day parades for several years now, and we find it's a sympathetic crowd full of people who need to be educated on ranked choice voting. If you'd like to help, it would be great if you could call me at 816-753-2057 or hit reply to email me back.
In both cases, I'll be at the end of the parades, with a Rank the Vote sign and plenty of leaflets, so you can pick them up there - either for leafleting on the spot, or for friends and family later. Here's what I and the sign and the leaflet cards in my hand look like:
This will be cancelled in case of rain, but the prediction is for both days to be sunny and quite pretty for this time of year.
St. Patrick’s Brookside Warm-up Parade
We leaflet starting at around 1:00 PM, as people are gathering, before they start watching the parade.
I'll be at Myer Boulevard and Brookside Road. You can see that you don't have to go far to get to any part of the parade.
Kansas City's St. Patrick's Day Parade 2024
Sunday, Mar 17, 2024 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
We leaflet starting at around 10:00 AM, as people are gathering, before they start watching the parade.
I'll be at the end of the route, West 43rd Street and Broadway. The map shows Parking areas with a "P."
Rachel MacNair
Mar 15, 2024, 6:50:30 PMMar 15
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
We've leafleted at the St. Patrick Day parades for several years now, and we find it's a sympathetic crowd full of people who need to be educated on ranked choice voting. If you'd like to help, it would be great if you could call me at 816-753-2057 or hit reply to email me back.
In both cases, I'll be at the end of the parades, with a Rank the Vote sign and plenty of leaflets, so you can pick them up there - either for leafleting on the spot, or for friends and family later. Here's what I and the sign and the leaflet cards in my hand look like:
This will be cancelled in case of rain, but the prediction is for both days to be sunny and quite pretty for this time of year.
St. Patrick’s Brookside Warm-up Parade
Saturday, March 16, 2024, 2:00 p.m.
We leaflet starting at around 1:00 PM, as people are gathering, before they start watching the parade.
I'll be at Meyer Boulevard and Brookside Road. You can see that you don't have to go far to get to any part of the parade.
Kansas City's St. Patrick's Day Parade 2024
Sunday, Mar 17, 2024 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
We leaflet starting at around 10:00 AM, as people are gathering, before they start watching the parade.
I'll be at the end of the route, West 43rd Street and Broadway. The map shows Parking areas with a "P."
.
Rachel MacNair
Mar 16, 2024, 7:51:10 PMMar 16
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
We had a productive time leafleting the Brookside warm-up parade this afternoon. As usual, the response is that most people who take one are friendly about it, quite a few know about it and are enthusiastic, abd some need it explained and it makes sense to them. We're building the "yes" vote for having ranking on the ballot in April 2025 (or soon thereafter).
We'll be covering the main parade tomorrow, and since it's huge, we can always use more people to leaflet.
I'll be at the end with a Rank the Vote sign and plenty of leaflets, so you can pick them up there - either for leafleting on the spot, or for friends and family later. That's at West 43rd Street and Broadway. Here's what I and the sign and the leaflet cards in my hand look like:
Kansas City's St. Patrick's Day Parade 2024
Sunday, Mar 17, 2024 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
We leaflet starting at around 10:00 AM, as people are gathering, before they start watching the parade.
The map shows Parking areas with a "P."
.
in...@betterballotkc.org
Mar 18, 2024, 1:43:48 PMMar 18
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
We do well leafleting any old crowd and will keep it up, but we've always especially shone in educating at the polls. We talk to people not as they're going in but mainly as they're coming out. That's when they're the most receptive to hearing about something they'll vote on later.
We'll work all three this year - April 2, August 6, and November 5. Because of the stadium tax, we anticipate the April election will have a higher turnout than April elections normally do. And everyone expects high turnout for the August primaries, covering Governor, U.S. Senator, and other state offices. November will be the highest turnout of all. There we can educate people who might not normally show up to an April election to show up for ours in 2025 because they're excited about ranking their votes.
This will put us in good shape for voting on ranking in the April 2025 election -- we'll have plenty of low-tech, low-cost, personal-touch contact with voters. Anyone thinking to push a "no" vote isn't even thinking of explaining their case to the public yet.
Unlike large crowds, though, where anyone can just pick a good spot and go for it, in election leafleting we need to assign people to polls. There's really no advantage to having more than one person there at a time - unless you want to have a friend with you, which of course is fine - and so we have assignments to send people where there's not already coverage.
We'll have some people out all day, and others out half days. But anyone that wants to just do it for an hour, or for that matter just take a handful and pass them out until finished - every little bit helps.
If you'd like to help and want a specific polling spot, now's a good time to get dibs on it. Otherwise, let me know what vicinity is handiest for you, and I can suggest the available spots that are closest to you. Here are all the poll locations for Kansas City in Jackson County. We'll also cover some KC polls in Clay and Platte counties.
Rachel MacNair
Mar 20, 2024, 3:50:51 PMMar 20
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
A quick added note. While normally a one-issue April ballot is as low turnout as you can get, we know this April 2 will be an exception. There was a debate on that issue (the stadium tax) at the Plaza Library yesterday evening, and the high-energy crowd was packed to overflowing. It may be just one issue, but people are very excited about that issue. This should be a prime opportunity for us to build the yes vote for ranked choice voting.
No-excuse early voting has started - here are the places where you can do that. I've already voted so I can be free to leaflet at a polling place other than my own all day on April 2. Others, of course, may prefer to leaflet at their own voting places, but I mention options.
To repeat from before:
in...@betterballotkc.org
Mar 25, 2024, 2:58:02 PMMar 25
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
There's more excitement than usual about an April election - a debate about the one issue of a stadium tax drew an overflowing crowd at the Plaza Library.
You can now vote beforehand if you wish without an absentee excuse - here are the places where you can do that. I myself have already voted so I can spend all day leafleting at a poll other than my own.
Leafleting at the poll has always been our strongest strategy, and we've been doing it every election since 2019. We find that when we talk to people as they're coming out, they like it better because we're not trying to influence the decision on voting that they've already made, but instead giving them information on something they'll vote on later.
We'll do this at all three this year - April 2, August 6, and November 5. The turnout is likely to get higher for each one. And it will put us in excellent shape for having reached the people most likely to vote in the April election in 2025.
If you, or you and a friend, would like an assignment to a specific poll or to a poll in your vicinity, please contact me. If you just want a handful of cards to do a shorter time, that will also help.
Here are all the poll locations for Kansas City in Jackson County. Because the stadium tax is only in Jackson County, we're not covering Platte and Clay this time.
Below are the front and back of the cards we're passing out.
Rachel MacNair
Mar 27, 2024, 12:05:35 PMMar 27
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
Anyone who needs to pick up leaflets - that is, the cards we pass out as pictured on the bottom below -- can come by at any time to the front porch at:
811 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd (same as East 47th Street)
They're in a box on a table on the porch. You can take what you need. You can also talk with me during the day if I'm at home. You can also call to set which poll you'd like to be at so we can coordinate. And do feel free to call about any questions you have about what kinds of things often come up in conversations with the public. I'm good at chatting.
-- Rachel MacNair
Voice and text; 816-753-2057
Rachel MacNair
Apr 1, 2024, 12:00:52 PMApr 1
to Better Ballot KC
Friends --
We do have people covering some of the polls, but the more help we get on this, the better we build the yes vote among people we know vote in April elections (and we're aiming for our election to be next April.) Because the one issue on the ballot in Kansas City/Jackson County has aroused much excitement pro and con, we anticipate a fairly high turnout.
Anyone who needs to pick up leaflets - that is, the cards we pass out as pictured on the bottom below -- can get them two ways. Today and tomorrow, they're on the front porch at:
811 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd (same as East 47th Street)
They're on a table, and you can pick up what you need at any time. That's both for leafleting the polls and for passing them along to your friends.
On election day itself, you can also pick them up from me where I'm doing my leafletting:
Waldo Library, 201 East 75th Street
I plan to be there by 8 AM. Polls open at 6 AM (with little traffic early on) and close at 7 PM.
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