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Repair & Restore Democracy
Country First believes key democracy reforms are needed to incentivize healthy dialogue, good leadership, and ultimately the results Americans deserve. If we don't act, the cycle of doom and dysfunction will only continue and politics will remain a "win at all costs" sport where we ALL ultimately lose. It wasn't always this way, and it doesn't need to stay this way.
✓ VOTING RIGHTS + ELECTION INTEGRITY
For our system to work, Americans must have confidence that their vote counts -- whether their candidate is victorious or not. Unilaterally partisan action at the state or federal levels leads to broad swaths of the population feeling disenfranchised, and whether they're correct or not, it erodes the trust required by our system. That's why it's vitally important that voting and election laws be carefully crafted in a bipartisan manner.
Americans deserve a democracy that values and holds sacred the freedom to vote. Generations of brave Americans have died protecting this, our most fundamental right. At Country First, we believe we must equally defend voting rights, ballot box accessibility, and the security and integrity of the election process. This should be the easiest place to find common ground, yet our parties unnecessarily politicize this issue. We must do better if our system is to survive.
✓ PRIMARY ELECTION REFORM
The problem with our current primary election system isn't who we elect, it's how we elect them. With primary election turnout below 20%, the most partisan and dogmatic candidates are often able to prevail. And because so many "safe seats" practically belong to one party or the other, whoever wins the primary election is almost guaranteed to win the general election. This system disenfranchises voters, distorts representation, and fuels political dysfunction and division.
Country First believes reforms must be made to our system so that "Country Over Party" leaders can win elected office in large numbers. We are excited by proven solutions like non-partisan primaries, ranked-choice voting, and other policies that incentivize candidates to appeal to as broad a group as possible (including people who aren't in their party). Such a system would also allow the most toxic and extreme voices on either side to cancel each other out, and allow reasonable people of goodwill to prevail.
✓ END GERRYMANDERING
Politicians shouldn't be able to choose their own voters -- and that's exactly what partisan gerrymandering is: The ultimate tool to preserve their own power. By allowing the parties to draw their own state and Congressional districts, we’re giving parties in power the ability to manipulate elections, and all but guarantee the ultimate partisan outcome of an election, before a single ballot has been cast.
Country First believes independent redistricting commissions give citizens a voice in the mapmaking process and empower them to make districts that are fair and representative of the people they serve.
Repair & Restore Democracy
Country First believes key democracy reforms are needed to incentivize healthy dialogue, good leadership, and ultimately the results Americans deserve. If we don't act, the cycle of doom and dysfunction will only continue and politics will remain a "win at all costs" sport where we ALL ultimately lose. It wasn't always this way, and it doesn't need to stay this way.
✓ VOTING RIGHTS + ELECTION INTEGRITY
For our system to work, Americans must have confidence that their vote counts -- whether their candidate is victorious or not. Unilaterally partisan action at the state or federal levels leads to broad swaths of the population feeling disenfranchised, and whether they're correct or not, it erodes the trust required by our system. That's why it's vitally important that voting and election laws be carefully crafted in a bipartisan manner.
Americans deserve a democracy that values and holds sacred the freedom to vote. Generations of brave Americans have died protecting this, our most fundamental right. At Country First, we believe we must equally defend voting rights, ballot box accessibility, and the security and integrity of the election process. This should be the easiest place to find common ground, yet our parties unnecessarily politicize this issue. We must do better if our system is to survive.
✓ PRIMARY ELECTION REFORM
The problem with our current primary election system isn't who we elect, it's how we elect them. With primary election turnout below 20%, the most partisan and dogmatic candidates are often able to prevail. And because so many "safe seats" practically belong to one party or the other, whoever wins the primary election is almost guaranteed to win the general election. This system disenfranchises voters, distorts representation, and fuels political dysfunction and division.
Country First believes reforms must be made to our system so that "Country Over Party" leaders can win elected office in large numbers. We are excited by proven solutions like non-partisan primaries, ranked-choice voting, and other policies that incentivize candidates to appeal to as broad a group as possible (including people who aren't in their party). Such a system would also allow the most toxic and extreme voices on either side to cancel each other out, and allow reasonable people of goodwill to prevail.
✓ END GERRYMANDERING
Politicians shouldn't be able to choose their own voters -- and that's exactly what partisan gerrymandering is: The ultimate tool to preserve their own power. By allowing the parties to draw their own state and Congressional districts, we’re giving parties in power the ability to manipulate elections, and all but guarantee the ultimate partisan outcome of an election, before a single ballot has been cast.
Country First believes independent redistricting commissions give citizens a voice in the mapmaking process and empower them to make districts that are fair and representative of the people they serve.