Rep. Reschke: No on Measure 117

Vote NO – Measure 117 (Ranked Choice Voting)
By Oregon State Representative E. Werner Reschke,

Measure 117 is one of several ballot measures Oregonians will face in the November election. Passage of Measure 117, also known as Ranked Choice Voting, will create more frustration and confusion to Oregon’s election system.

Measure 117 makes it HARDER to VOTE

First, it will take longer to fill out a ballot because every candidate in a race must be ranked if you want your vote to count as much as everyone else who is ranking candidates. This means time, much more time understanding every candidate in every race. Second, because each candidate must be ranked, from most favorite to least favorite, many more mistakes can be made. An error in ranking, such as doubling a 2nd choice vote, could void your vote for that race.

Measure 117 makes it HARDER to COUNT

Imagine a race with 10 candidates. (Note: the Republican Gubernatorial Primary in 2022 had around 20 candidates). Unless a candidate wins a majority of 1st place votes, the new voting system requires dropping the least favorite candidate from the race and reassigning their votes to the remaining candidates. Then the votes must be recounted. This process is inherently complex and therefore must be done by computers.

Measure 117 makes it HARDER to VERIFY

Since hand counting is nearly impossible with races of more than two candidates, the only feasible way to recount ballots is with the same computer ballots were counted with the first time. This takes away a second and independent way to verify that close races are counted correctly.

HARDER to VOTE

HARDER to COUNT

HARDER to VERIFY

Vote NO on Measure 117

— Follow more on Oregon ballot measure 117 and articles from Oregon State Representative E. Werner Reschke here