Ranked Choice Tennessee Discusses State and Local Electoral Reforms

Media Advisory
Ranked Choice Tennessee Discusses State and Local Electoral Reforms
For Immediate Release
4.16.2019

Ranked Choice Tennessee (RCTN) will discuss the results of the Nashville Metro Council vote regarding Resolution RS2019-1617 (as amended). This resolution was introduced last year and re-introduced in 2019 by councilman David Rosenberg and is set to be voted on again on April 16th, 2019. RCTN will also discuss the status of Tennessee HB 599 / SB 970, which would give the four largest cities in Tennessee the option to reform their local elections by adopting ranked choice voting. RCTN will provide context for these electoral reforms and how state and local legislation will create positive changes to the ways in which elections are conducted in Tennessee’s four largest cities. Updates from RCTN and David Rosenberg will be given and questions will be taken on the steps of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson County Historic Courthouse Plaza.

Who: Ranked Choice Tennessee and David Rosenberg, Metro Council Member District 35
What: Press Conference
When: Wednesday April 17th, 2019 11:00 AM
Where: Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson County Historic Courthouse Plaza, Nashville, TN 37201
Why: These electoral reforms could have a significant impact on state and local elections.

Contact Ranked Choice Tennessee Communication Director Carlos Ochoa for more information: carlos@rankedchoicetn.org, 901-248-7915 ex. 1 or visit www.rankedchoicetn.org/presskit to learn more about the history and mechanics of ranked choice voting.

Letter from the Program Director

We need to turn the tide on voter participation in Memphis. Tennessee has some of the worst turnout in the nation and our current electoral system shuts people out of the process.Traditional first-past-the-post elections disenfranchise voters at every turn, by splitting the initial vote or forcing voters to vote again in runoff elections where the turnout skews disproportionately in favor of middle- and upper-class neighborhoods.

Ranked Choice voting is an achievable and effective solution to this problem.Memphis has made;significant progress towards this goal and Nashville isn’t far behind.  We are working with the Tennessee legislature to eliminate all hurdles to implementation.

We recently attended the Unrig Summit in Nashville where we had the opportunity to share our message and mission with ordinary people from across the country, including hundreds of people in Tennessee. Voters from Memphis to Chattanooga want to change their elections. And they need our help. Will you join the electoral reform movement by making a monthly or one-timecontribution to Ranked Choice Tennessee? Your contribution ensures increased voter participation. Our average donor gives $40. Can you help us today? Your commitment to fair elections keeps our efforts alive.

Please make sure to share our newsletters and social media with your friends. Or stop by our office, pick up some advocacy cards and then have your friends sign them. These cards are great representations of a physical constituency.

You can also support the movement by participating in the People’s Convention 2.0 Agenda survey and indicate that you “Strongly Agree to using RCV in Memphis municipal elections”. It’s the last question.

Thank you and be sure to stay in touch.

Best,

Aaron  Fowles
Program Director
Ranked Choice Tennessee

Ranked Choice Voting – Nashville Fundraiser – March 29, 2019