Republican to host Prop. 1 information night, Thursday

THREE MILE — Local Republican organizations are hosting a presentation on Proposition 1, also known as ranked choice voting or open primaries initiative on Thursday, Sept. 19 at 6 p.m. at Covenant Bible Church.

Proposition 1 would abolish Idaho’s party primaries and replace the primaries with an open primary where the top four candidates per race advance to the general election. Candidates need not be associated with the paper they name, the prop reads. 

At the general election a ranked choice voting system would be implemented.  

Voters would rank candidates on the ballot in order of preference, the prop reads, however voters need not rank every candidate. Votes would be counted in successive rounds with the candidate receiving the fewest votes eliminated each round. The votes for an eliminated candidate will then transfer to the voter’s next-highest-ranked remaining candidate with the candidate with the most votes in the final round declared the winner.  

Proposition 1 will be presented to voters at the general election on Tuesday, November 5.  

The Panhandle Republican Women and Boundary County Republican Central Committee are organizing the event at Covenant Bible Church, located at 56 Plato Drive, Bonners Ferry (formerly Yoder’s).  

Caleb Davis, chairman of the Boundary County Republican Central Committee, said the proposition has been touted as equal access to all voters at primaries, however the average voter doesn’t understand that the proposition will drastically change how elections are conducted.  

“Our nation has historically stood for one person, one vote, with the ranked choice allowed at the general election this will no longer be the case,” Davis said.  

Currently in Idaho, the Republican primary is only open to registered Republicans. However, under the new provision, a state partisan primary system would be replaced with a top-four primary system. This means all candidates seeking that office would appear on one ballot and the top (with no regard for political part) would advance to the general election.  

Supporters said the Reclaim Idaho-created initiative would results in more freedom and better leadership since voters would have more say and candidates would be more accountable to voters 

The Open Primaries initiative will give all voters, regardless of party affiliation, the freedom to vote in all elections. 

Reclaim Idaho officials said the proposition would “make sure the winner enjoys support from a broad coalition of voters and not just a narrow faction.” 

Supporters contend the initiative would give more Idahoans a voice in elections.   

“The Open Primaries initiative will help elect more independent-minded leaders who are focused on solving problems, not wasting time with distractions and controversies that turn us against each other,” Reclaim Idaho officials said on the group’s website.  

The Idaho GOP has disagreed, claim Prop 1 will replace the current primary system with a “Jungle Primary.” Furthermore, the GOP claims Prop 1 will not help “disenfranchised Independents,” rather it will benefit the Democrat party over others.  

Officials said the initiative also raises cost concerns, impact to smaller counties and what  computer software may be needed to allocate votes under the system. Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador has refilled his lawsuit seeking to block the ballot initiative in August. He file the suit in Ada County District Court two days after the Idaho Supreme Court dismissed an earlier version of Labrador’s lawsuit based on procedural grounds.  

Covenant Bible Church is located at 56 Plato Drive, Bonners Ferry (formerly Yoder’s).