I testified in support of fusion voting on behalf of the Independent Party at an interim committee hearing of the Senate Committee on Rules and Elections today.

Senator Brad Avakian spoke in favor of his introduction of the measure first, followed by Barb Dudley, a professor at Portland State University who is co-chair of the Working Families Party of Oregon.

Our current system, or any system in which 3rd party candidates are primarily relegated to the role of spoiler, is broken. We believe that it is contributing to voter apathy, the disillusionment of voters toward the legislature, and the disillusionment of voters toward both major political parties. ...

Fusion voting offers us a different way of moving forward.

Rather than locking minor parties out of the political process, Fusion gives them an opportunity to collaborate with the major political parties on a platform and agenda that strengthens all sides while encouraging candidates to reach out to minor political parties and to win their nomination.

Read my full testimony below the fold

This piece appeared on the OPB Radio show "Oregon Territory"

Fusion voting used to be legal in Oregon-but that was a hundred years ago. Now there's a movement to bring fusion voting back.

Fusion voting allows more than one party to nominate the same candidate. Votes from different parties are then combined for that candidate's total number of votes.

Under Oregon's current election laws, candidates are nominated by their own parties in primary elections. The primary election winners than face off in a general election.