Published in the Arizona Capitol Times- May 5th, 2025

This May 1st was punctuated by protests around the country. Whether you agree with the protestors or not, we should all agree that these protests are evidence that the system is not providing a government that represents the will of the majority of the people.

We all know in our hearts, that this problem is more than just one man. If Mr. Trump were to disappear tomorrow, it would not solve our political problems. The divisiveness and the lack of accountability of government to the people would still be there. Beyond the Executive branch, we know there is something wrong with the system when so many of our elected representatives in Congress refuse to meet with their constituents. How can we be living in a representative democracy when the representatives hide from those they are supposed to represent?” 

This situation will continue, and worsen, until we stop treating the symptoms, and start treating the underlying problem.

The problem we face is caused by our election system. As of 2022, here in Arizona, 83% of Arizona legislative districts lean so heavily towards one party that the only election of consequence is a low turnout partisan primary election. Here in Arizona, only about 40% of registered Republican voters vote in the primary, and those individuals tend to be the most extreme of the party. It is that group that decides who will be elected. The situation is similar on the Democratic side. The problem is even worse at the federal level. According to Unite America, in this past election, roughly 83% of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives were decided by approximately 7% of voters. 

This is why so many of our representatives are willing to hide from their constituents. Our current election system virtually guarantees that they will be re-elected if they keep their base happy. It is important to realize that that base is often less than 15% of the people they are supposed to represent. They hide because they can, and they refuse to stand up for the majority of their constituency because doing so increase the likelihood of them being “primaried” in the next election.

Our current system disincentivizes the tools of better governance, including bipartisan discussion, compromise, and consensus building, and instead incentivizes partisanship, primary threats, hostility and negative campaigning.

The good news is that by changing election laws, we can change the incentives that govern our elected officials and make them accountable to everyone they represent. 

Voter Choice Arizona advocates a system known as Final Five Voting. This system would advance five diverse candidates to the general election. Voters would have the opportunity to rank those candidates. With real options, voters could choose a candidate they really want but then be able to select a backup choice. Voters would no longer be faced with the choice of just picking the lesser of two evils or be afraid that voting their conscience might inadvertently help the candidate they like the least. Voters would have actual choices and be able to focus more on voting FOR a candidate, and LESS about voting against their political enemies.

Reforms like this would change the incentives of the people who govern. Because they would be accountable to all of us, our elected officials would be incentivized to work together to solve actual problems, rather than sling mud at each other. Uniting people, rather than dividing them.

Voter Choice Arizona has been working relentlessly to bring about the change that we all deserve. We have a plan, and we continue to build across the state to give voters more voice, more choice, and more accountability in AZ elections. We need your help to reach the critical mass needed to put the power back into the hands of the people. To learn more about our efforts, please visit vcaz.org today.

Mark Cable

Volunteer

Voter Choice Arizona