May electoral reform news from Chicago

May news on electoral reform from Chicago
Compiled by Dan Johnson-Weinberger, djw@fairvote.org

The Midwest Democracy Center is a non-profit, membership
advocacy group that works to make our governments more
democratic and representative. We partner with the D.C.-based
Center for Voting and Democracy (www.fairvote.org).

Our main goal is to revive cumulative voting for the Illinois
House of Representatives (used from 1870 Â? 1980) so that
political minorities will have some representation. Electing
three people from one big district instead of three people each
elected from their own smaller district ensures that all voters
have someone who represents their views, wherever they happen to
live, and lessens the number of one-party fiefdoms.

Our other goal is to use instant runoff voting for single-winner
elections (like governor) especially in primary elections to
ensure the majority of voters gets to pick the winner. 

Our website is www.midwestdemocracy.org and our telephone number
is 312.587.7060. We encourage your participation and membership
(join online)!

UPCOMING EVENTS:
PRINTERS ROW BOOK FAIR JUNE 1 AND 2
ROLLING THUNDER TOUR JUNE 15
TOWN HALL MEETING ON REFORM JULY 2
ELECTORAL REFORMERS DINNER JULY 2 AFTER MEETING

GENERAL ASSEMBLY UPDATE (NO DICE THIS YEAR)

COMMON CAUSE ILLINOIS ENDORSES CUMULATIVE VOTING

There are a lot of opportunities to help spread the word about
better voting systems this month.

This weekend, the Midwest Democracy Center has a booth at the
PrintersÂ? Row Book Fair, at the southeast corner of Dearborn and
Harrison in Chicago. WeÂ?re working with the Illinois Campaign
for Political Reform (www.ilcampaign.org) on an instant runoff
voting poll on the most corrupt act that has recently been the
subject of an indictment (examples: forcing state workers to
Â?volunteerÂ? for political campaigns, shaking down state
contractors for donations, selling truck licenses under the
table for cash). And to make sure that the majority of people
pick the corrupt act (and to avoid spoilers), weÂ?ll use instant
runoff voting.

Come on by Saturday or Sunday June 1 or June 2 from 10 am Â? 6 pm
and help us distribute these ballots. You can also buy some
books and enjoy the nice weather. For more information see
www.printersrowbookfair.org

WeÂ?ll do the same instant runoff voting poll on Saturday June
15th at the Rolling Thunder Tour in Union Park which is right by
the United Center at Ashland and Lake in Chicago. See
www.rollingthundertour.org for details. WeÂ?ll do a workshop,
have a table and participate in the dayÂ?s events. Come on by
that Saturday as well!

TOWN HALL MEETING AT STATE OF ILLINOIS BUILDING
TUESDAY JULY 2nd at 2:30 pm

On the 132nd anniversary of the adoption of cumulative voting in
Illinois, weÂ?ll have a town hall meeting (or, if weÂ?re lucky, a
subject matter hearing of the Illinois General Assembly) on
cumulative voting, instant runoff voting and other electoral
reforms. It will be at 2:30 pm at the Thompson Center (the State
of Illinois building) in downtown Chicago. WeÂ?re looking to
submit written testimony as well as oral testimony, so if you
canÂ?t make it but would like to submit some written testimony,
please send your letter to the Midwest Democracy Center and
weÂ?ll put it in the record. 

Thanks to Rep. Mike Boland, Chair of the House Elections and
Campaign Reform Committee, who agreed to host the event on July
2nd. 

The hearing will be followed by a dinner for advocates of reform
somewhere in downtown Chicago. So save the date July 2nd! More
details to come, or call the office at 312.587.7060 to check in.

ALMOST FINAL UPDATE FROM GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The Illinois General Assembly is working to pass a budget by the
end of the night, which happens to be the same self-imposed
deadline as the author. Barring some unforeseen moves in the
next few hours, here is the final report on the General
Assembly.

Legislation to put cumulative voting on the ballot appeared in
both houses. The House version, HJRCA 4, was originally
sponsored by Sara Feigenholtz, and co-sponsored by House
Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, Executive Committee Chair
Dan Burke, Democrats Judy Erwin, Doug Scott, Julie Hamos, Tom
Dart, Art Turner, Lou Jones and Susan Garrett and Republicans
Rick Winkel, Terry Parke, Michael McAuliffe, Mark Beaubien and
Patricia Lindner. Thanks to all of them. It was stuck in the
House Rules Committee by Speaker Michael Madigan, who we donÂ?t
like for just that reason. In the Senate, SJR 43 was sponsored
by Republican Tom Walsh. Our thanks to him.

Legislation to use instant runoff voting for primary elections
and to let cities use the system was introduced in the Senate as
SB 1789 by Democrat Barack Obama and co-sponsored by John
Cullerton. We might get some legislation in the House in these
last few hours of session.

LetÂ?s continue to lobby over the spring and summer, as the
legislators sometimes have more time now to listen to
constituents after the session is over. Plus, they are
campaigning for re-election, which sometimes helps to get their
attention.

COMMON CAUSE ILLINOIS ENDORSES THE DRIVE TO REVIVE

WeÂ?re proud to announce that the Illinois chapter of Common
Cause has endorsed the drive to revive cumulative voting in
three-member districts for the state House of Representatives.
We hope to continue to build on our momentum to put cumulative
voting on the ballot in November of 2004. Welcome aboard, Common
Cause!

INTERNS THIS SUMMER 

Welcome to Brian Smith, a student at Butler University, who will
be working on same-day voter registration, especially in
Indiana. HeÂ?ll be working with Chris Nichols at putting up a new
website on same-day voter registration.

Thanks also to Jay Rowell for networking our office and fixing
up some old computers for Brian to use.

We do have room for another intern this summer one or two days a
week if s/he is a self-starter. Call or email the office to
inquire.

In general, please do feel free to call the office at
312.587.7060. WeÂ?re all working on this together, so please
consider the Chicago office your resource. WeÂ?ve got license
plate frames and coffee mugs that market cumulative voting as
well as brochures, fliers and copies of the Edgar-Mikva report
to send out. And we can always use some volunteer help around
the office! The more the merrier.

To subscribe or unsubscribe, email Dan Johnson-Weinberger at
djw@fairvote.org with a small note.

Please forward this newsletter!
Midwest Democracy Center
325 West Huron #304
Chicago, IL 60610
312.587.7060
www.midwestdemocracy.org  


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