January 2025 Updates - Veterans for All Voters

January 21, 2025

Veterans for All Voters

Welcome to 2025 friends.

While last year’s election is over, and the news coverage and conversations will move on to other topics (out of a rightful sense of exhaustion from following American politics), we remain keenly aware that the political crisis in our country is worsening. Americans are increasingly losing trust in Congress, the courts, elections, institutions of all sorts, and anything that touches politics. They see the divisiveness and can not envision a better future.

We, however, can. but it will take talking to our fellow Americans, especially young people, about how elections actually work, and the power that they have to change things if they are not happy. Complicated elections and political structures benefit insiders and the most extreme partisans.

We’re eager to hit the ground running in 2025 to spread a message of hope that American political dysfunction is a solvable problem if people understand the underlying conditions that got us here, and the reforms that can get us out. Let’s go

Highlighted Article: Justin Trudeau's 'One Regret' Is Not Implementing Ranked Choice Voting in Canada

VAV State updates

South Carolina

3rd IRV/RCV Rally by Better Ballot SC

On Tuesday, January 28th, Better Ballot SC hosted a rally at the South Carolina State Capitol in support of House Bill H. 3589, which would give municipalities the option to adopt instant runoff voting (IRV).

The event began with lobbying efforts and concluded with speeches on the State House steps. Featured speakers included Nicole Sanchez of Better Ballot SC; Representative Dr. Jermaine Johnson, lead sponsor of H. 3589; former Virginia GOP Delegate Chris Saxman; Irmo Town Councilman Erik Sickinger; Frank Knapp, President of the SC Small Business Chamber of Commerce; Danny Morales, SC State Co-Coordinator for Braver Angels; Chris Himsl, Veterans for All Voters member and former Army Colonel; and Dr. Kasie Whitener, author, educator, and radio show host.

Maryland

Ranked Choice Voting Day, 1/23

Ranked Choice Voting Maryland hosted a happy hour at Red Red Wine Bistro in Annapolis. Partner organizations present included Veterans for All Voters Maryland and the Maryland Forward Party. Two Annapolis Alderman and at least four State Delegates attended with views ranging from full-throated support to unsure, but interested in learning more. Unfortunately, the comptroller was unable to attend, but she sent someone in her stead to present a citation to our partner, Ranked Choice Voting Maryland.

Of note, Maryland had the most RCV Day events out of any state. During the event, we set up a RCV booth and people voted on their favorite of the appetizers. The Warm Brie with Fig won after the Cheese and Fruit Tray was eliminated in the first round.

Left to Right: VAV State Volunteers Dennis Philapavage, William "Randy" Everett, and Mike Pellittiere

Left to Right: VAV State Volunteers Dennis Philapavage, William "Randy" Everett, and Mike Pellittiere, Ranked Choice Voting Maryland Executive Director Michelle Whittaker

Missouri

On Monday, Feb. 3rd, Eric took part in two press conferences in support of the Respect MO Voters Coalition (www.respectMOvoters.org), and the launch of a new statewide ballot initiative to ban the Missouri legislature from attacking the will of the people.

The citizen initiative would ban politicians from continuing to attack Missouri’s citizen initiative process, including with biased language. The campaign’s leadership has helped lead previous successful state and local ballot initiatives.

The first press conference was at the state capitol, and the second took place in Rolla, MO. Missouri Citizens are invited to weigh in at the Respect MO Voters Coalition’s 24 town halls starting next week on policy ideas for the proposed Constitutional amendment. Missouri’s citizen initiative process is a century-old Constitutional freedom.

Virginia

Mike Cantwell and other veterans represented Veterans for All Voters at Democracy Day in Richmond, Virginia on January 21, 2025.

Together with other pro-democracy groups like Big Money Out Virginia, UpVote Virginia, Virginia League of Women Voters, RepresentUS, and The Forward Party, we lobbied lawmakers and their staffs, and testified in support or opposition to various bills. After the event, we continued our efforts to promote pro-democracy legislation by sending emails and making phone calls.