We could have chosen our mayor by now
Re: “Denver election: Mayoral runoff set for Johnston and Brough,” April 7 news story
The League of Women Voters of Denver urges the Denver City Council to propose a change in the charter to allow for alternative voting methods – preferably ranked choice voting.
Our recent mayoral election offered voters a long and diverse list of candidates from which to select a mayor. As predicted, using our current voting system for mayor, which requires a majority vote for the winning candidate, necessitated a costly runoff election to select the mayor.
There are alternative voting methods that would improve Denver voters’ ability to identify and elect their preferred candidate. After in-depth study, the League of Women Voters of Denver developed a position in favor of offering alternative voting methods, including Ranked Choice Voting (also known as “instant runoff” voting), in appropriate situations. Ranked Choice Voting is an alternative voting method that has been implemented successfully in Alaska and Maine and a dozen municipalities, including New York City, to streamline the voting process, improve voter choice, and reduce costs.
In a Ranked Choice Voting system, the voter can rank all or some of the candidates on the ballot. The subsequent processing of the ballots determines the preferred candidate based on individual rankings of the candidates. The Ranked Choice system does not guarantee that the resulting winner receives a majority of the votes; however, it does assure that the individual who is elected is the preferred candidate.
Elsie Haley and Frank Bennett, Co-Directors of Communication League of Women Voters of Denver
Give us a “boring but solid” mayor
Re: “A shout-out to Calderón,” April 13 letter to the editor
To the letter writer who says, “Thank you, Lisa Calderón, for providing the only excitement and suspense in the mayor’s race!”: I personally do not want excitement and suspense – I want a competent mayor who can run our large city and tackle Denver’s numerous problems with practical solutions. Give me boring but solid any day of the week.
We need a mayor who works with all sides to come up with the best solutions and can execute their plans. We do not need a mayor that holds political grudges like Calderón seems to, judging from her post-election statements.
Perhaps the reason “big money” backs Mike Johnston and Kelly Brough is because they have proven they are mature, competent and practical, and they can work with others to get the job done.
Theresa K. Johnson, Denver
Trump’s indictment is not unprecedented
I am tired of hearing over and over again how the indictment of Donald J. Trump is “unprecedented.” Does no one in the American media have a memory? Does no one know any history?
A criminal investigation was conducted on , then Vice President, for bribery. Agnew subsequently pleaded with the famous “nolo contendere” on tax evasion charges and resigned. Since both Agnew and Trump are executive officers as described in the Constitution, this is what is known in legal terms as “precedent.”
I would also like to point out that Agnew, like Trump, was a Republican. Corruption does not seem to be just a coincidence in the GOP. More like a pattern.
Michael Black, Durango
Road-rage not a topic for entertainment
Re: “Road-rage trial: DA: Shooter claimed out-of-body experience,” April 13 news story and ” ‘Beef”: Steven Yeun, Ali Wong are mad in America,” April 13 feature story
How’s this for cognitive dissonance in today’s America: Thursday’s front page story about a horrific road rage incident that resulted in the point-blank execution of a child, followed a few pages later by a review of “Beef,” a TV show selling road rage as just another topic for your streaming pleasure.
Apparently road rage is, well, all the rage in TV shows. This attempt at normalizing a terrifying trend is beyond disgusting. Shame on the American viewer for watching and for media production companies for turning it into some sort of sick entertainment.
R. Norman, Wheat Ridge
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