• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Blog Home
  • Topics
    • Keystone Press Releases
    • Politics and Government
    • Legislation
    • Nevada News
    • Tourism & Gaming
    • Rural Nevada
    • Business
    • Opinion
  • Membership
  • Contact Us
  • About Keystone Nevada

Keystone Nevada Korner

Welcome to The Keystone Korner The Official Blog of Keystone Nevada

Home » Proposed Nevada ballot measure calls for using star ratings to elect candidates

Proposed Nevada ballot measure calls for using star ratings to elect candidates

March 20, 2022 by Pauline Lee

by Da Yeon Eom, The Nevada Independent, March 18, 2022

A proposed Nevada ballot initiative filed this month by an organization called Common Sense for Uniting America (CSUA) aims to “close the great American divide” by adopting a star rating system for voting. 

The founder of the organization believes the division in America is a result of the flawed voting method and says his creation, Max Voting, will be the solution. The ballot initiative seeks a constitutional amendment to implement the concept, though it’s described as “Division Free Voting.”

“Who Americans vote for is far less important than how they vote,” said Ted Getschman, a retired naval commander and gaming systems specialist who founded CSUA. “It’s not Mitch McConnell or Nancy Pelosi or even dark money … It’s the unintended byproduct of an antiquated voting system.” 

Similar to product reviews on Amazon, Max Voting asks voters to express their opinion in a star rating system on a scale from zero to seven that reflects how much they align with a candidate’s stance on the issues. The voting method would award the election to the candidate with the highest average score. 

The proposed constitutional amendment states that voters do not need to score all candidates and that they can only contribute to a candidate’s average score if they indicate points, including zero, on the ballot. 

“Replacing majority rule with majority opinion rule would incentivize candidates to move to the center, in order to align with America’s steadying heartbeat, rather than today’s volatile extremes,” Getschman said in a press release. “It would change everything practically overnight.” 

Getschman was in the U.S. Navy for 20 years before joining the U.S. European Command in 2014, according to his LinkedIn profile. His biography says he created CSUA intending to end the partisan politics of the two-party system. Getschman did not respond to multiple requests for an interview from The Nevada Independent. 

Max Voting is within a category of preexisting voting methods used in certain areas of the U.S., such as approval voting and STAR voting.

Approval voting allows a voter to choose any number of candidates they like, and leads to a single winner with the greatest number of favorable opinions. The voting method is practiced in municipal races in Fargo, North Dakota, and St. Louis, Missouri. 

STAR voting, or Score Then Automatic Runoff voting, refers to a system through which voters rate candidates on a scale of zero to five. The two finalists with the highest scores are selected for a “runoff,” in which the finalist who has the higher score on the most ballots ultimately wins. STAR voting is widely used in Oregon. 

Getschman’s video on the organization’s website said that once the initiative garners support from about 3 percent of the population, the organization will poll the supporters to ask them what form of a Max Voting system they prefer. Whether it’s Approval Voting or STAR Voting, Getschman says as long as it’s a Max Voting method, it will be an improvement. 

The organization said filing the ballot initiative in Nevada is the first step in a larger state-by-state effort to update America’s voting process, and it’s aiming to gain support from a quarter of each state’s population. 

To qualify for the Nevada ballot, supporters of the proposed constitutional amendment will need about 150,000 valid signatures before June 21, 2022. If the initiative prevails on the ballot this year, then it will need to win again at the next general election to become part of the state’s constitution. 

In Nevada, 892 voters — less than 1 percent — have registered their support online to change the voting method so far. 

He said in the video that even if the organization doesn’t get enough support from registered voters by June, he plans to continue the effort in the future. 

“We could heal the political division in America, and nobody would have to change their minds about anything,” Getschman added. “In most states, we wouldn’t even have to reprint the ballot forms.” 

The proposal isn’t the only one in Nevada seeking to move beyond the traditional system where people vote for a single candidate in a race. Last November, the Institute for Political Innovation filed a proposed ballot initiative to transform Nevada’s election system by moving to open primaries with a ranked-choice general election system. The proposed ballot initiative is pending as it requires close to 150,000 valid signatures from registered voters. 

Filed Under: Politics and Government Tagged With: Common Sense for Uniting America, Division Free Voting, Max Voting, proposed Nevada ballot initiative

Primary Sidebar

Connect with Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
Bootleg Bistro
Bootleg Bistro Ad
SLLC_Keystone_Blog-Ad_300x500_10%-Off-Repairs_05.19.21
CIOServices Ad 300x500-100
BRH Keystone Ad JPEG
Willow_Manor
Keystone Corporation Nevada

News Topics

  • Keystone Press Releases
  • Politics and Government
  • Legislation
  • Nevada News
  • Tourism & Gaming
  • Rural Nevada
  • Business
  • Opinion

Rural Nevada

UPS and AVK America plan to expand in Douglas County

March 19, 2023 By Courtney Holland

Staff Reports for The Record Courier, March 17, 2023 United Parcel Service plans to build a new 168,000 square foot building in Douglas County, … [Read More...] about UPS and AVK America plan to expand in Douglas County

Redwood Materials gets $2 billion federal loan for mega battery facility near Reno

February 12, 2023 By Pauline Lee

by Jason Hidalgo, Reno Gazette-Journal, February 9, 2023 Redwood Materials just secured a commitment from the federal government for a $2 billion … [Read More...] about Redwood Materials gets $2 billion federal loan for mega battery facility near Reno

LETTER: Voting by conscience or from pocketbook?

January 31, 2023 By vrobison

Not everyone enjoys or is interested in politics, but given the number of retirees in the Moapa and Virgin Valleys, I would imagine there is … [Read More...] about LETTER: Voting by conscience or from pocketbook?

Amodei picked as chair for appropriations subcommittee

January 29, 2023 By The Ely Times

Nevada Representative Mark Amodei was appointed to serve as the Chairman of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee on the U.S. House Committee on … [Read More...] about Amodei picked as chair for appropriations subcommittee

Opinion

Hypocrite Biden blocks mineral mining his clean-energy goals require

March 24, 2023 By Pauline Lee

by Carrie Sheffield, New York Post, March 22, 2023 President Joe Biden claims he wants America to lead in “clean energy” production, but he’s again … [Read More...] about Hypocrite Biden blocks mineral mining his clean-energy goals require

OPINION: The ‘Green Amendment’ is well-intended — but that’s not enough

March 19, 2023 By Courtney Holland

By David Colborne, The Nevada Independent, March 19th, 2023 Supporters of AJR3, also known as the “Green Amendment,” want to protect Nevada’s … [Read More...] about OPINION: The ‘Green Amendment’ is well-intended — but that’s not enough

EDITORIAL: Property tax bill deserves a quick trip to the shredder

March 16, 2023 By Courtney Holland

Neal bill would drop the cap, impose a floor. By Las Vegas Review-Journal Editorial Board, March 15, 2023 The benefit of competitive political … [Read More...] about EDITORIAL: Property tax bill deserves a quick trip to the shredder

Tags

Adam Laxalt am post Build Back Better Business Business Columns Casinos & Gaming Catherine Cortez Masto Clark County Clark County School District Conventions COVID Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) Editorials Education employment Gov. Joe Lombardo Gov. Steve Sisolak Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED) Housing inflation Inside Gaming Joe Lombardo Local Local Las Vegas Local Nevada lvcva mc-business mc-local mc-news mc-opinion mc-sports Nevada News NPRI Opinion Opinion Columns PAID pandemic Politics and Government Real Estate Insider Roe v. Wade Sports The Strip tourism Victor Joecks

Footer

Copyright © 2023 · Keystone Corporation - All Rights Reserved · Log in
Privacy Policy
By accessing this site, you are agreeing to our Terms of Use

The views, opinions and conclusions expressed by the authors of any article or post on the Keystone Korner are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Keystone Corporation or its officers and board members. Moreover, any reference to a person, party, product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Keystone Corporation or its officers and board members.