Country Over Party

The Voting Booth as Common Ground

By Peak Design

July 10^th, 2020

Hi. This is Annie, Peak’s Sustainability Director.

I grew up in a Republican (mother) and Libertarian (father) household. I shared the views of my parents consciously and unconsciously for much of my life. While my thinking shifted left as I grew older, I still have great respect for the perspectives of my parents. Discussions with them require me to think about why I believe what I believe and how I can better articulate those beliefs. Although our ideas for how we get there often differ, my parents and I want the same thing: a free and just country. One in which we and all others can pursue happiness and benefit from a steady economy. One in which my daughter and their granddaughter will drink clean water and breathe clean air. A country we can have pride in. That is our common ground.

Today, Americans are losing common ground. And it’s not just left versus right. It’s left versus far-left, right versus far-right, and everything in between. And I get it. I have found myself swinging to extremes, struggling to listen to any words contradicting my internal dialogue.

But finding common ground does not (and must not) mean losing your passion for a cause. It means having the ability to identify inroads for progress.

On November 3rd, 2020, we must acknowledge our common ground and vote like our democracy depends on it, because it does. This is a call for voters on both the left and the right to unite in our belief in a strong democracy. And in a government proclaimed to 'be of the people, by the people, and for the people,' a strong democracy starts with a voting system that is accessible, easy, and secure.

A strong democracy starts with a voting system that is accessible, easy, and secure.

Currently, our voting system fails to meet these standards. Some leaders in power want it to stay this way through active voter suppression.

We at Peak Design advocate for changes in the voting system to remove blockades and ensure proper representation of all Americans. We believe in:

1) Increasing access and ease of voting through mail-in ballots, while addressing and mitigating security concerns.

2) Reducing campaign extremism and encouraging coalition-building by transitioning to ranked choice voting.

3) Reducing partisan gerrymandering by using independent commissions to draw congressional districts.

4) Reducing partisan polarization through open primaries.

Some Republicans will undoubtedly see voter rights advocacy as a sugar-coated campaign to oust the current administration. And as it stands today, yes, increasing voter participation generally benefits Democrats. But the health and survival of our democracy means putting country over party. Ensuring full and fair representation of the American people is not just the moral thing to do, it’s the patriotic thing to do. Winning elections should result from adopting platforms that resonate with a broader coalition of Americans.

That is why Peak Design is donating to two non-partisan organizations that are effective in registering voters and supporting Americans in casting their vote, the Voter Participation Center and the Fair Elections Center. You want to do more than cast your vote? Donate to these organizations or volunteer your time to support other organizations working to get out the vote.

I want to continue having the freedom and purpose to have political debates with my parents. I’m voting in November to preserve that freedom and purpose. I hope you do too.