April 2024 Updates

Alaska, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, DC and beyond...

Friends,

There's a citizen-led movement afoot to challenge antiquated election systems that protect partisan politicians, exclude independent, split-ticket and centrist voters, and foster extreme political polarization.  We're tracking over a dozen well organized state-based efforts, and Veterans for All Voters is on the ground floor now in 48 states.  Americans are exhausted by the current state of politics - and veterans are stepping forward to offer a better way.  

We've been on the road to Florida and DC, and have events coming up in Colorado and Montana.  If you're interested in joining one of our state chapters, we'd love to welcome you to the team here.  You can learn more about our work here, and from the newsletter below which is chock-full of updates.

Onward!

-Veterans for All Voters

Our Founder was in Miami meeting with some of our national partners and he was able to connect with a few of our State Leaders, including: Laura Hine (FL), Ramon Perez (FL) and Carlos De Castro Pretelt (VA).

News from the States

Washington D.C.

Educating DC Voters on Closed Primaries: Lisa D. T. Rice, Proposer, Ballot #83 - The Purple Principle

Veterans for DC Voters State Leader and election reformer, Lisa D.T. Rice recounts one of the many conversations she’s had on Ballot 83’s two main objectives in 2024: opening Washington DC primaries to independent or unaffiliated voters and creating #rankedchoicevoting general elections for greater candidate accountability.

Virginia

Veterans for Virginia Voters leader Mike Cantwell - Citizen Spotlight: Political Parties Are a Little Lazy - Let Us Vote

Mike believes in choosing candidates based on their ability to solve problems and their positions on issues. Picking candidates based on the letter next to their name? That's a little lazy.

"I really like to vote for the candidate and not the political party. I have no allegiance to Republicans or Democrats. To me, it's all about whoever is the best candidate, whoever is going to be the best problem solver. So that's what's most important to me. I really think it's a little bit... it's a little lazy actually to join a political party. I really think people should evaluate each candidate by who they are rather than what political party they're a member of."

2025 could be ranked choice voting's year in Charlottesville - Op-Ed by Veterans for Virginia Voters State Leader - Nick Co

As a Navy veteran, the toxic state of our politics deeply concerns me. After graduating from the Naval Academy and serving five years as an officer, I returned to an American life with divisive politics, where Americans are fighting each other, rather than banding together to solve our problems. But, I have hope.

Read More

Pennsylvania

Veteran for All Voters Chief of Staff, Alex Littell attended Ballot PA's recent event: THE UNPRIMARY: A RALLY TO REPEAL CLOSED PRIMARIES, a rally for independent voters, independent-minded voters, and everyone who supports a fair and representative democracy.

Arizona

Arizona should stop punishing voters for choosing to be independent - AZCentral

In Arizona, systemic barriers entrenched within our electoral system are designed to disenfranchise voters like us and prevent candidates who genuinely reflect our interests from getting on the ballot. These obstacles disproportionately complicate veterans’ ability to have a say in selecting the future commander-in-chief.

Read more

Make Elections Fair Arizona

Advocates for a system where every Arizona voter is treated equally, where all candidates, including Independents, are afforded the same rights and opportunities, and where any qualified voter can participate in all elections.

Get Involved

Veteran for All Voters Arizona State Leader, Ray Kimball out gathering signatures and working in support of the Make Elections Fair Ballot Amendment

Reform News from Around the Country

How the 2024 election is already 'spoiled' - The Fulcrum | Op-Ed by VAV State Leader

Over the past few months, the wider media enterprise has written innumerable pieces casting doubt on third parties competing in the 2024 election – not just third party viability, but their intentions and appropriateness in America's de facto duopoly.

Read More

Ep. 9: Election reform: systemic changes to improve how we choose our leaders with Todd Connor and Eric Bronner

This episode is all about making the way we elect our officials better and how, by improving the system, we can improve our nation’s politics. Joining us are two guests that have a few ideas on how to do this - Navy veterans Todd Connor and Eric Bronner.

Listen to the podcast

Systems Level Failure? Veterans For All Voters Takes On Polarizing Elections - The Purple Priciple

On this episode The Purple Principle talks with the COO of Veterans for All Voters, Eric Bronner, about polarization in our politics. They also meet three volunteer veterans, including former Marine Mike Escobar who voiced a 2022 commercial promoting these electoral reforms in Nevada, fellow Marine vet Glomani Perez of New York, and Army combat vet Crystal Ellington of Florida. Each of them recalls feeling a disturbing lack of national cohesion upon return to civilian life.