voting
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A Local Movement for Ranked-Choice Voting Arises
Read more: A Local Movement for Ranked-Choice Voting ArisesIn these needlessly divisive times, it’s easy to despair for the future. If you need a dose of optimism that doesn’t need a prescription, join the ranked-choice voting movement, where participants are enthusiastically working to reclaim our democracy at the local, state, and federal levels. The Maryland state chapter of Rank the Vote came to…
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Ranked-Choice Voting Proves Itself in Arlington
Read more: Ranked-Choice Voting Proves Itself in ArlingtonThe effort for election reform continues (oh so slowly) in the region, and it passed a major milestone on June 20. That was the day Democratic voters nominated primary winners for the Arlington County Board—and they used ranked-choice voting. Before explaining why this is so significant, let’s refresh how we elect our own at-large members…
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Take Action: Change MCPS Elections
Read more: Take Action: Change MCPS ElectionsFollowing our explainer about the Board of Education’s illegitimate at-large elections, I received additional information on the matter from Delegate Marc Korman (D-Montgomery County). In addition to House Bill 0655 introduced by Delegate Brian M. Crosby (D-St. Mary’s), our very own MoCo House delegation recently introduced HB0380 to mandate district voting for the BoE’s district…
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MCPS Board of Education: MoCo’s most illegitimate governing body
Read more: MCPS Board of Education: MoCo’s most illegitimate governing bodyEmployees using MCPS credit cards for suspiciously personal use; secretive policy meetings; a proposed 10% tax hike to fund a school system with no performance improvements in return; capricious boundary changes. There are lots of reasons that people are upset with the Board of Education, but I fail to see the need for a rumpus.…
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Citizen Led Petition to Limit County Executive to Two Terms Gets Off to Strong Start at Olney Days
Read more: Citizen Led Petition to Limit County Executive to Two Terms Gets Off to Strong Start at Olney DaysResidents of Montgomery County are gathering signatures to get a question on the November 2024 election ballot that, if passed, would limit the County Executive to only two consecutive terms in office, not the current three. Under the current MoCo charter, a County Executive can serve three consecutive terms, which spans twelve years. This would…
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3 Urgent Voting Reforms for MoCo
Read more: 3 Urgent Voting Reforms for MoCo1. Special elections – to replace representatives Four (and counting) Montgomery County representatives in the state senate and house of delegates left their positions this year. Their replacements are selected by a tiny group of 2 dozen Democratic Central Committee (DCC) members. The DCC has appointed a whopping 12 of 34 (35%) of the current…
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City of Rockville ‘Charter Review Commission’ Recommends Non-citizen Voting, Lowering Voting Age 16
Read more: City of Rockville ‘Charter Review Commission’ Recommends Non-citizen Voting, Lowering Voting Age 16On December 12, The City of Rockville’s official publication called ‘Rockville Reports’ states that the city of Rockville’s Charter Review Commission recommended: Lowering the age to vote in city elections from 18 to 16, regardless of citizenship. The commission unanimously recommended this change and also recommended that the right to vote in city elections be extended…
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Voting Rights Violations in Montgomery County
Read more: Voting Rights Violations in Montgomery CountyMontgomery County comes across as a progressive jurisdiction that promotes equality of opportunity and access to all its residents. To some extent that is true: all of our elected leaders and their constituents place racial and gender equality as a primary objective, and for that we should be very proud. However, when it comes to…
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MoCo providing “Free” Gym Use… But You’ll Need (Gasp) Photo ID
Read more: MoCo providing “Free” Gym Use… But You’ll Need (Gasp) Photo IDPut on a few holiday pounds this time of year? Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich (Democrat, 20+ years in local politics), wants you to know: “We are pleased to be offering this service free to our residents in 2023,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “As we head into the new year and many are…