SOCORRO, New Mexico (STPNS) --
To the Editor:
Re: “Vote Like Your Life Depends On It,” in the November 3 edition of the Mountain Mail, I agree with Rick Coddington’s call for a “None of the Above” (NOTA) ballot option.
Given widely expressed dissatisfaction with “lesser evil” and “one choice” elections as well as with increasingly negative campaigns, many voters wish to withhold their consent in elections to office by voting for NOTA, just as they can on ballot questions by voting NO.
It certainly makes sense: In a democracy, government must obtain the consent of the governed, and all legitimate consent requires the ability to withhold consent. Any state can enact a Voter Consent law giving voters a binding NOTA ballot option after each candidate list, which calls a new election, with new candidates, to fill the office should NOTA win. A model Voter Consent is available at www.nota.org/notabill.
While NOTA by-elections are an expense, they would not occur unless voters vote to hold them, and are likely less costly than electing unacceptable candidates to office. Even candidates running unopposed would have to obtain voter consent to be elected.
NOTA based Voter Consent laws are a common sense, much needed improvement in governing ourselves, returning some power to “We the People”, from whom our constitution draws its legitimacy, and taking some power from political parties and corporations, whom our constitution never mentions.
Sincerely,
William H. White
Director, Voters for None of the Above
Brewster, Mass
Re: “Vote Like Your Life Depends On It,” in the November 3 edition of the Mountain Mail, I agree with Rick Coddington’s call for a “None of the Above” (NOTA) ballot option.
Given widely expressed dissatisfaction with “lesser evil” and “one choice” elections as well as with increasingly negative campaigns, many voters wish to withhold their consent in elections to office by voting for NOTA, just as they can on ballot questions by voting NO.
It certainly makes sense: In a democracy, government must obtain the consent of the governed, and all legitimate consent requires the ability to withhold consent. Any state can enact a Voter Consent law giving voters a binding NOTA ballot option after each candidate list, which calls a new election, with new candidates, to fill the office should NOTA win. A model Voter Consent is available at www.nota.org/notabill.
While NOTA by-elections are an expense, they would not occur unless voters vote to hold them, and are likely less costly than electing unacceptable candidates to office. Even candidates running unopposed would have to obtain voter consent to be elected.
NOTA based Voter Consent laws are a common sense, much needed improvement in governing ourselves, returning some power to “We the People”, from whom our constitution draws its legitimacy, and taking some power from political parties and corporations, whom our constitution never mentions.
Sincerely,
William H. White
Director, Voters for None of the Above
Brewster, Mass