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Q&A
Discussion on the optimal number of candidates advancing from an open primary and the role of ranked-choice voting
0:21:36
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165 sec
Commissioner Kathryn Wylde asks John Avlon about Citizens Union's preference for the number of candidates (top two, three, or five) advancing from an open primary. Avlon states Citizens Union proposes top two for clarity, but emphasizes the importance of ensuring a mayor receives majority support, which would necessitate ranked-choice voting in the general election if more than two candidates advance.
Randy Peers expresses a preference for more than two candidates, suggesting a minimum of four to reflect existing official parties and encourage coalition building through ranked-choice voting in the general election.
Kathryn Wylde
0:21:36
also on the same issue.
0:21:38
Do you have any preference on top two, top three, top five?
John Avlon
0:21:45
You're the expert.
0:21:47
Yeah.
0:21:47
Citizens Union, has put forward top two.
0:21:50
I think there's a certain clarity to Other organizations have advocated top three, top four, top five.
0:21:56
If there's ranked choice voting in a general election, the key thing is to make sure that we have a a mayor who receives a vote from a majority of people.
0:22:04
I I think, you know, a a getting a mayor who's elected supported by less than 50%, I think, becomes a a strain on their legitimacy.
0:22:12
So that is imminently dealable.
0:22:15
Regardless of where we've seen these reforms be put forward, it actually does have a positive effect on the politics.
0:22:20
It encourages.
0:22:21
It discourages negative campaign.
0:22:23
It encourages more coalition building just because at at its nature, at the outset, you're trying to win over other people's votes.
0:22:31
So Citizens Union has proposed top two.
0:22:33
I think there's a certain clarity to that, but good people can disagree.
0:22:37
And if if you all choose to say top three, then, you know, I I think as long as there's a ranked choice voting component, it will achieve the same end.
Kathryn Wylde
0:22:44
But would top three give an opportunity for for somebody winning the election with less than 50% of their vote?
John Avlon
0:22:51
No.
0:22:52
Because in that scenario, you would still use a ranked choice voting.
Kathryn Wylde
0:22:54
On well, you have ranked choice in the prime.
John Avlon
0:22:56
And you would have ranked choice in the if if the if the general election is more than two people, you have to have ranked choice voting in in the general, in effect, if if the principle of of making sure that a mayor gets, you know, the the mayor gets 50%.
0:23:13
So, I mean, again, if it's top two, it's just a traditional you know, we've already done ranked choice voting, and it's it's a binary choice.
0:23:20
If you choose to take a route which is more expansive than that, then the general election would need to use ranked choice voting as well.
Sharon Greenberger
0:23:26
That would be one option.
John Avlon
0:23:28
I I think it it it is the most logical option if you wanna make sure folks get to 50%.
0:23:34
And I'll just say also feeling, gentlemen's pain, I'm I'm a registered Democrat.
0:23:39
I wasn't independent for many years.
0:23:40
I didn't change party's affiliations for that reason.
0:23:43
But I do think the argument that you need to participate in the process, have to join the party, doesn't feel like it's consistent with the best American traditions.
Julie Samuels
0:23:50
Mhmm.
Randy Peers
0:23:51
Yeah.
0:23:52
I I'm actually I don't think two cuts it.
0:23:54
I think you gotta go above two.
0:23:56
I think there's what four official parties right now in New York State.
0:24:00
I I right?
0:24:01
We've got democrat, republican, conservative, working families party.
0:24:05
Those are the only four official.
0:24:06
So I'm saying four minimum and then take it from there.
0:24:09
But it also think the more you have, the more you encourage in a ranked choice system would encourage also building of the coalitions.
0:24:14
So I think that that that piece is strengthened by having more, in the general election.
John Avlon
0:24:20
Building a better one.