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U.S. Virgin Islands hopes ranked choice voting can make a difference in presidential primary politics
In a Republican presidential primary race that’s been winnowed from a dozen major candidates to just two before many states have had a chance to weigh in, some voters and state parties argue something in the process needs to change. Dennis Lennox, executive director of the Republican Party in the U.S. Virgin Islands, hopes the USVI’s new approach — ranked choice voting — could make a difference.
“More states should absolutely have a voice in the process, and it shouldn’t just be Iowa and New Hampshire,” Lenox said. USVI’s GOP caucuses, which take place Thursday, will award four delegates.
Under this system, voters select five candidates and rank them by preference. Here’s how the votes will be counted: the candidate who receives the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated, and his or her supporters’ votes are distributed among the remaining top four, based on voters’ next selections. That process of elimination and redistribution is repeated until two candidates remain and then, the candidate with the most votes wins.
“We created a fair and level playing field for each and every candidate,” said Lennox. “Ranked choice voting ensures there’s no such thing as a wasted vote, there’s no such thing as a spoiler candidate.”
Even though candidates no longer in the race will still appear on the ballot, as long as voters rank a candidate who is still in the race, their selection will count.
An estimated 5,500 voters in New Hampshire’s Republican presidential primary cast wasted ballots for withdrawn candidates, according to FairVote, a non-partisan group pushing for more states to adopt ranked choice voting.
“Our system is broken right now,” said Deb Otis, the director of research and policy at FairVote. “We need a system that gives voters more voice and more choice on the ballot.”
She argues ranked choice voting could keep more candidates in the race for longer.
“Right now, our system pushes candidates out,” she said. “There’s a lot of speculation about if so and so drops out, will it help this other candidate, or will it help a different candidate? And candidates get pushed out before the voters even have their say.”
In addition to the Virgin Islands, Wyoming’s Democratic primary will use ranked choice, and Alaska and Maine already use it for primaries and general elections. Voters in both states passed initiatives to adopt ranked choice voting for statewide and federal elections.
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows thinks it has boosted voter participation and improved civility in politics in her state.
“It requires candidates to reach out more broadly, and it makes elections not just a base turnout election, but a persuasion election where candidates are really engaging and trying to convince voters to rank them first. But if not first, certainly second or third,” said Bellows.
In a general election, it could also dampen the potential spoiler effect of an independent or third-party candidate.
But critics of ranked choice voting think it might distort election results and add to voter confusion.
“Ranked choice voting makes it harder to vote, and it makes it harder to understand the results of the elections, and those two things, in particular, corrode public confidence in the voting process,” argues Jason Snead of the Honest Elections Project, a group opposed to the change. Legislatures in five states, Florida, Tennessee, Idaho, Montana and South Dakota have banned ranked choice voting.
Historian and George Washington University professor Matt Dallek says it’s too early to know the ultimate consequences of the reform.
“Reforms always have unintended consequences,” said Professor Dallek. “The ways these things are designed does not mean that it translates perfectly into practice, and we’re still pretty early on in the United States with the experiment and ranked choice voting.”
Still, FairVote believes the idea will gain momentum ahead of the 2028 presidential race as more states consider the change.
“We have seen growing interest from party members and elected officials in implementing ranked choice voting,” said Otis. “2028 could be a really crowded year for candidates, possibly from both parties.”
Voters in Nevada and Oregon will consider the question on this year’s ballot.
A growing number of cities, including New York, have also moved to ranked choice for their local races.
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Dublin’s Grafton Street was mobbed last month when word spread that Coldplay was coming to shoot the video for their new single, “We Pray.”
“I was a little nervous for you there in the beginning,” said Mason.
“Yeah, but you have to just trust in the goodness of people – and the proficiency of the police!” laughed Chris Martin.
Martin was joined by collaborators Burna Boy, Tini, Elyanna and Little Simz. “The five of us actually had never actually played the song in the same place before,” said Martin. “So, our first time doing it was on the street in the middle of all those people.”
Coldplay was in Dublin for four sold-out nights at Croke Park, on their “Music of the Spheres” world tour. With more than 10 million tickets sold, and box office of over $1 billion, Billboard has crowned it “the biggest rock tour of all time.”
Mason asked drummer Will Champion, “You guys are in the middle of literally a record-breaking tour. Does it feel like that to you?”
“Sometimes it’s hard to see the woods for the trees,” Champion replied. “We’re aware that we’re having such a great time. We’re really enjoying ourselves.”
“It definitely was extremely loud last night,” said bassist Guy Berryman.
Champion, Berryman, Martin and guitarist Jonny Buckland haven’t always felt the love, especially in the early years. But critics, who once asked “Why does everyone hate Coldplay?” are now calling them “the 21st century’s defining band.”
“It seems like you’ve kind of been fully embraced even by the music critics,” said Mason.
“Well, you’re very sweet. I mean, that’s just not true!” laughed Martin.
“I don’t think you’re ever fully embraced,” said Buckland.
“Also, we are really not a rock band,” said Martin. “So, when we’re judged by those parameters, we’re always gonna come up short. One thing I’d say that we’ve become more comfortable with is just being ourselves.”
Their catalog of hits stretches across a quarter of a century. Martin said, “The truth of it is, some songs arrive fully formed, basically – not Jonny’s parts or Will’s or Guy’s parts, but my part. And those are the rarest, but they’re always the best, the ones that I had least to do with.”
“But sometimes they’re the hardest to produce, because you don’t want to ruin them!” laughed Buckland.
Martin says he can feel that right away: “Definitely, yeah. The songs of ours that have connected with the most people, they connected with me first. I was like, ‘Oh, this is really good!’ ‘Yellow,’ ‘Viva La Vida,’ ‘Fix You,’ ‘Sky Full of Stars.’ They just land.”
“Viva La Vida” by Coldplay:
“So, in a strange way, you’re listening to it, you’re the first person to listen to it; that’s what it feels like,” said Martin. “With the song ‘We Pray,’ we were in Taiwan on tour about ten months ago. I think it was after a show and I woke up in the middle of the night, this song was just in my head called ‘We Pray.’ And it said, ‘You have to get outta bed and do this now.'”
Coldplay performed “We Pray” with their collaborators on stage for the first time in Dublin. “To have heard a song in the middle of the night in Taiwan and then ten months later it’s on stage in Dublin? I mean, that’s in itself an amazing journey,” Martin said.
Martin started writing songs at a young age: “The first one arrived when I was about 11,” he said.
Martin is always writing, even while on the road. Every morning, he sits down to write freeform – whatever he’s thinking about. “I do that as a way of staying sane!” he laughed. “For 12 minutes in the mornings, I write anything that’s in my head, and it’s often very terrible and very depressed or very anxious, or all of the stuff that you don’t really want anyone else to hear, but you need to release. So, I do that for 12 minutes, and then I burn it.”
“You literally light it on fire?” asked Mason.
“Yeah, or tear it up and flush it away. And it just kind of gets rid of so much nonsense,” Martin said. “Definitely helps in a band, too. Because in the old days we would have a lot more tension and a lot more volatility. But that’s calmed down a lot.”
Buckland was asked about the incredible sense of community at their concerts. “I think this is the point where we are most happy,” he said. “I think we got to that point by being in a band for 25 years and then finally it sort of all clicking into place.”
“Is that just a process of time?” asked Mason.
“Well, I think a process of time and hard work,” said Martin. “We’ve worked quite hard on how we communicate with each other and giving each other space. We tour a lot slower now. We only do about 65 shows a year, which isn’t that many.”
Coldplay’s new record, “Moon Music,” is the band’s tenth studio album.
Martin has said the band would release its last album in 2025. “It was right and it was wrong, like most things I say,” Martin explained. “We are only going to do 12 proper Coldplay albums, but we’re a little bit behind. Not too far behind!”
Buckland explained, “We’re asking for an extension!”
So, why 12 albums? “That’s just what it’s supposed to be,” Martin replied. “I don’t think anyone needs more than that from us. The Beatles did 12.”
Mason asked, “Do you guys have other things you want to do? Is that part of this?”
“Not at all. We’d like to keep playing live,” said Martin.
“So, that goes on?”
“Oh, yeah, yeah – that gets better and better,” Martin said.
“Don’t wanna stop Coldplay,” said Buckland.
You can’t stop Coldplay. Chris Martin says he has to keep sprinting across stadiums.
Why does he have to? “I think it’s like asking an apple tree why does it make apples?” Martin replied. “That’s ’cause that’s what I was made to do. And also, I’m really happy doing it.”
Coldplay performs “feelslikeimfallinginlove” at Glastonbury 2024:
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Story produced by Jon Carras. Editor: Mike Levine.
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On Tuesday, former President Jimmy Carter turns 100 years old. Among those wishing him well is a man who understands the trials of life in the Oval Office, our current President, Joe Biden:
Mr. President, on behalf of the entire Biden family, and the American people, Happy 100th Birthday!
Mr. President, you’ve always been a moral force for our nation and the world. I recognized that as a young senator. That’s why I supported you so early. You’re a voice of courage, conviction, compassion, and most of all, a beloved friend of Jill and me and our family.
We know this is the first birthday without Rosalynn. It’s bittersweet, but we also know she’s always with you. She’s in your heart; she’ll never go away. She may be gone, but she’s always going to be with you. She’s always there, and I know you know that.
Your hopeful vision of our country, your commitment to a better world, and your unwavering belief in the power of human goodness continues to be a guiding light for all of us.
You know, you’re one of the most influential statesmen in our history. Even after you left office, the moral clarity you showed throughout your career showed through again in your commitment through the Carter Center and Habitat for Humanity – resolving conflicts, advancing democracy, preventing disease, and so much more. It’s transforming the lives of people not only at home but around the world.
Put simply, Mr. President, I admire you so darn much.
Jill and I send to you and your incredible family our love. May God continue to bless you, Mr. President. You’ve been a good friend.
Gallery: President Jimmy Carter
Gallery: Carter before the White House
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Story produced by Robert Marston. Editor: Steven Tyler.
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