E-DEMOCRACY | Procedure and leadership on the new Minneapolis city council
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From: Susan Goldberg Date: 9:31am, Jan 07
The wages of rages, and thoughts for change in 2014
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Ten months from today, a few more than 300 days, November 4, 2014, Americans will go to the polls to elect the entire U.S. Congress, a fair number of U.S. Continue Reading
The right to vote in a 21st Century democracy: Thoughts from my new book
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In just a few weeks Minnesotans will attend their party caucuses as part of the process of selecting the candidates who will run for governor and other constitutional offices, U.S. Senator and House of Representatives, and the Minnesota House of Representatives, among other positions. Yet if the past is any indication of what will happen, very few individuals will attend these caucuses–some by choice–but others will be excluded by economic or practical necessity, without the option of participating by absentee voting or through technologies that would make it possible to engage, even halfway around the world. Continue Reading
Will the real progressive in the 64B race stand up?
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Being a progressive means a courageous informed stand for issues and values. Yet lately, I have heard it used like the Jesus label. Progressive is not a brand that you claim by giving yourself the name. It is an act of being. Progressive is speaking out for an issue, it is persuading others. Above all it is leadership.
In the safely Democratic 64B district, does it mean anything to claim to be progressive? No, not really. All the candidates claim to be progressive, to love the neighborhood, to support education, to support gun control, to support minimum wage, to respect the DFL endorsement and to support all things Democratically Apple Pie. Where is the courage in the safe issues? Continue Reading
Supreme Court declines to hear MN Majority/North Star Tea Party polling place electioneering test case
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Via the Star Tribune’s Morning Hot Dish, the Christian Science Monitor reports that the United States Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal of a case challenging Minnesota’s law that prevents electioneering in the polling place. Continue Reading
Maplewood as a study in better government
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Doing government better requires that we look at episodes that happened in the past. I interviewed Will Rossbach, the Maplewood mayor who took over after the disastrous Mayor Diana Longrie. Erik Hjelle, and Rebecca Cave supported Diana Longrie on the city council. I was seeking advice on what could be done before, during and after. While Rossbach’s advice is noted, the recommendations are my own. Continue Reading
¿Es mejor el Voto de Elección por Categoría?
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Al tiempo de que te dirigías a las casillas para ejercer tu voto en las elecciones de alcalde y consejeros de la ciudad, como yo, tal vez te estabas preguntando acerca de este nuevo y equitativo método de votar, conocido como voto de elección por categoría (RCV, en inglés).Minneapolis primeramente usó el RCV en noviembre de 2009. Actualmente Minneapolis se encuentra entre la vanguardia al usar el voto de elección por categoría. Otras ciudades que utilizan este método son: St. Paul, MN; San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley y San Leandro, CA; Takoma Park, MD; Hendersonville, NC; y, Cambridge, MA.Este noviembre, muchos de nosotros llegamos a las Casillas para usar el voto de elección por categoría en la elección de alcalde y consejero del 2013. Ahora que Minneapolis ha adoptado el RCV para la mayoría de oficiales de la ciudad, ¿cómo es que se le considera mejor al método de votación tradicional de un voto por candidato?Así funciona el voto de elección por categoría: Después de que todos los votos son sometidos, los votos son tabulados usando un algoritmo. Continue Reading
OPINION | Is ranked choice voting better?
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As you went to the polls to cast your vote in the Minneapolis mayoral and city council races, like me, you may have been wondering about this fairly new voting method known as ranked choice voting (RCV).Minneapolis first used RCV in November of 2009. Currently Minneapolis is among the vanguard in using ranked choice voting; other cities using this method are St. Paul, MN, San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley and San Leandro CA, Takoma Park, MD, Hendersonville, NC and, Cambridge, MA.This November, many of us made our way to the pools to use ranked choice voting in the 2013 Minneapolis mayoral and city council election. Now that Minneapolis has adopted RCV for the majority of city offices, how is it considered better than the traditional one candidate one vote method?Here is how ranked choice voting works. After all the votes are in, the votes are tabulated using an algorithm. Continue Reading
OPINION | Excited about Ranked Choice Voting
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Although my first-choice mayoral candidate didn’t win this year, I can’t help feeling excitement and pride about the results of this year’s Minneapolis municipal elections. All-in-all, they were a triumph – for women, for people of color, for political diversity, and for stronger democracy.
2014 Hennepin County Commissioner race already underway
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Just after this year’s election, Hennepin County Commissioner Gail Dorfman announced that she won’t seek reelection next year. Her Third district seat covers the southwest quadrant of Minneapolis and all of St. Louis Park — as a result, the action in this open seat race won’t really be next November, but rather in the DFL endorsement and primary processes. Continue Reading