It is with great anguish that I write to you today. I’m sorry to have to tell you that I am suspending my Walk to Fix Our Democracy until further notice, due to a serious health setback for my life partner, Sally.
Effective immediately, I’ll be returning to Vermont to be with her and attend to her needs for the foreseeable future. As you know, Sally has been very patient and supportive of me in my mission to fix our Democracy. It’s now my turn to show that same love and support to her.
I am storing the RV in Arizona with the expectation that I’ll return to Gallup, New Mexico to resume my walk. When that will be, I’m not certain. But what is certain is that I’m still committed to pushing forward reforms to get our elected representatives to represent we the people, not special interests or party agendas.
In the meantime, I’m asking YOU to pick up the mantle of reform. Join with one of my supporting groups, Declaration for American Democracy, Common Cause, Represent.Us, Public Citizen, or one of the many state partners to support those in Congress willing to pass national standards, including the For the People Act, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, DC Statehood, and a Constitutional Amendment to transform our political system.
Help pass ranked choice voting and single ballot open primaries in your state. Work to stop the scourge of Dark Money which casts its shadow on our republic. Join in walks & parades with signs to Fix Our Democracy and bring the message to the people.
Remember, these reforms are not about me, they’re about US, and we ALL need to take to the streets and do our part!
So, friends, for now, you’ll need to take my place until we can walk together again on the road to a truly representative democracy.
I had a quiet Thanksgiving outside of Phoenix, but grateful to get caught up on some of my writing and emails. I really missed being with Sally, but like me, she’s committed to fixing democracy, even if it means missing a couple of holidays together. I’m very grateful for Sally’s support. ❤️
Despite the personal challenges of the last two weeks, I’m also grateful for the support voters showed for our Democracy. It has taken some hits over the past two years, but has shown resilience, thanks to tireless supporters of Democracy like you.
My Speech on Ranked Choice Voting in Phoenix November 13
My friend Kazz Fernandez has been working here with Voter Choice Arizona, laying the groundwork for a ballot initiative on Ranked Choice Voting in an upcoming election. I mentioned in my last letter about Nevada’s success with open primaries and RCV, so I’m thrilled that Arizona will attempt to implement RCV. In my speech in Phoenix on Nov. 13th, I laid out WHY we need these reforms, including how the present primary process divides us, produces ever more extreme candidates for both parties, and does not reflect the majority of citizens. Alaska just completed its first election cycle with its Top 4/RCV system for Congress, and it ran smoothly, with less party control, and with more candidates competing. We’ll be watching the next two years carefully! We’ll talk more about that in a future letter.
Other Important Ballot Initiative Updates in Arizona
Three important ballot initiatives were decided on November 8th here in Arizona, and it is exciting to see doing what their own legislators won’t! Voters resoundingly approved Arizona Proposition 211, which adds dark money disclosure requirements for any group spending $50,000 or more on statewide races to disclose any contributor who gave $5,000 or more. Dark money comes from limited liability corporations and certain types of non-profits which previously have not been required to disclose donors.
Arizona voters voted down Proposition 309, which would have required a government-issued voter ID number in addition to photo ID when voting by mail, was defeated by less than 1% of the vote. Arizona’s elder population and Native citizens sometimes do not have the IDs required, possibly disenfranchising some voters.
The ballot initiative process itself was on the ballot in Arizona. Legislators made an attempt in Proposition 132 to make any ballot initiative requiring changes in taxes to require a 60% majority, not just a simple majority. But voters made it clear they didn’t want politicians stifling their voice and voted it down.
A Lack of a Logistic Volunteer is Hampering My Campaign
I’m trying hard to keep to my schedule and communications, but have fallen behind in the last few weeks because without a driving volunteer, I’m having to handle logistics, too. Would you be able to help? There’s another way to help, too, right from your home! Make phone calls to groups where we’re headed to help recruit volunteers and help with meeting logistics. Contact Joanna if you can help with either of those tasks!
I’m grateful for your support, whether it’s time on the phone, on the ground along the way, or with your donations!
We’ll speak again soon; the Democracy road is calling!
P.S. Facebook users – We’re stepping up the content on our Facebook page, and volunteer Brian Beihl is posting updates on my walk, but also news from the states and groups working on our reforms. 1) FOLLOW my page 2) SHARE on your page 3) SHARE on like-minded Facebook groups!
Organize Walks To Fix Our Democracy in Your Own Community – Dates, Guidelines and Resources for National Walks in Communities Across the U.S. are at: https://www.fixourdemocracy.us/national-walks
I just passed through Kingman, Arizona on Sunday, after a great event with organizing legend Delores Huerta at the University of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas. I’m holding up despite some very cold weather and a mishap with the tow-car behind the RV, but Democracy marches on!
Rick Speaks in Las Vegas in Support of Nevada Question 3 on Ranked Choice Voting
Thanks to amazing volunteers like Sondra Cosgrove, executive director of Vote Nevada, I was able to speak Nov. 1 at a rally supporting Nevada Question 3, a citizen initiative which would create an open primary system, with all candidates running on one primary ballot regardless of party. The top five candidates then advance to the general and are decided by ranked choice voting. Predictably, politicians on both sides of the aisle in Nevada DON’T LIKE IT because it weakens party power, but the voters DO! It passed its first hurdle by garnering 52.7% of the vote on Nov. 8th! Congratulations! BUT, it must face a second vote in 2024 to actually make it part of the Nevada constitution.
As you know, open primaries and RCV are two of my key reforms to #FixOurDemocracy! Read my speech, or view it on my YouTube channel, and read the Ranked Choice Voting ballot measure on the Yes on 3 Nevada website.
Conversations in Kingman
While my friend and amazing volunteer Jim Richards & I couldn’t walk in the Kingman, Arizona Veterans Day parade because we were too “political,” we found a great parking spot and had some wonderful conversations with folks who came over to see what we were about. It’s pretty red around here, yet voters almost all agree that we are not being represented! (Photo by William Roller/Kingman Miner)
Looking for a Road Trip? Why Not Help Rick?
An unexpected illness has caused one of my volunteers to have to withdraw, and I could really use some help with logistics driving the RV and keeping us on the move. Can you help? Join me in Arizona or New Mexico in the coming weeks, or schedule a week in the coming months!
Thank You!
Behind every crusader like me, there’s a team of great people who believe in our issues. THANK YOU for your love, support, volunteer hours and donations!
Organize Walks To Fix Our Democracy in Your Own Community – Dates, Guidelines and Resources for National Walks in Communities Across the U.S. are at: https://www.fixourdemocracy.us/national-walks
Reforming the Arizona Primary and General Election Process
to Serve the Interests of Arizona Citizens
Remarks of Rick Hubbard of Walking To Fix Our Democracy in Phoenix Arizona,
Sunday, November 13th, 2022.
At Margaret T. Hance Park
Hello friends.
Introduction
I’m here to speak about an important opportunity Arizona voters will have to improve the Arizona primary and general election process to better serve your interests, rather than just the interests of the major political parties.
My name is Rick Hubbard and with support from volunteers, I have so far walked well over 330 miles, beginning on the west coast, and slowly heading toward our capitol in Washington DC in support of local, state and national measures to fix our democracy. It will take a year and 4 months and I expect to arrive for events in Washington DC in January of 2024,
At age 80, I must pace myself. Not too fast, and normally not much more than 10 miles a day. My body and feet are still adjusting, and slowly toughening up.
Walking 10 miles normally takes me between 4 and 5 hours, including breaks to eat, drink and sit for a few minutes. This leaves plenty of time for me to speak with a large number of our American people along the way.
I always ask a central question:
How well do you feel those we have elected to represent our interests are doing on our behalf?
I have yet to meet an American who feels a majority of those we have elected are properly doing their job on our behalf.
Sadly there is a direct relationship between a majority not providing us with proper representation and the division and downward path America is now on.
Our Goal
This is why we must fix our democracy so that it properly represents the common interests of all American people.
Opportunity in Arizona
In Arizona, each of you will soon have an opportunity to dramatically improve Arizona’s political primary process to better serve your interests.
The Problem
The existing primary and general election process serves the interests of the major political parties, but not the interests of Arizona citizens.
It divides people, excludes many from participating, and limits the choice of candidates.
Citizen interests are different from those of the two major political parties.
We benefit when we have a wide range of candidates to choose among, even though we are not going to like them all.
We also benefit when all of us who are registered voters can help choose which candidates of any party should proceed to the general election.
And we are more unified when whoever wins has the support of a majority of us, rather than the support from only a smaller percent of us.
An Example – Gun Rights and Responsibilities
Let’s discuss a simplified, specific, controversial, example.
Our United States Constitution provides us with many rights. Among these is our 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms. However, each of these rights is not absolute. Each right is balanced by a measure of responsibility.
We have a right to bear arms and we also have a responsibility to use these arms safely in ways that do not endanger the rights of others. We must safeguard our firearms, so they do not mistakenly become available to young children who may unintentionally harm themselves or others. And we must exercise our right to bear arms responsibly in other ways as well.
A majority of Americans are upset by the many mass shootings at schools and other public gathering places. Polls show that some 70-80% of us, across ideologies, agree with both our right to bear arms as well as the need for them to be kept and used responsibly, and for there to be reasonable restrictions placed on those who fail to meet their responsibilities.
Yet not a single Republican Senator will support meaningful measures in Congress that reflect the preferences o 70-80 percent of all Americans. Instead, they will only support innocuous measures that allow them to claim “incremental progress” and thereby kick the can down the road for more years without meaningful legislation.
The reason they will not serve the interest of those who elected them on this issue is directly related to the way our primary and general election process is structured.
Let me pose a question:
Of all eligible voters in primary states, what percentage do you think, on average, will vote in the Republican and Democratic and primaries?
The answer:
In the Republican primaries – about 10 percent.
And in the Democratic primaries – about 15-20%.
So if you are a Republican US Senator and you wish to qualify for the general election ballot, and if gun rights and restrictions is the only issue on the ballot, you must speak not to the preferences of 70-80 percent of all those you will be representing, but instead to only the preferences of those 10 percent who will vote in the Republican primary.
This is how the present primary process divides us, produces ever more extreme candidates for both parties, and does not reflect our preferences as citizens.
Good News
The good news is that every state has the power to determine how its elections will be run.
So, you can change the process so it works for all citizens in Arizona instead of just to benefit the largest political parties.
Part One – is to level the signature requirements for any candidate from any party to get on the ballot.
Part Two – is to get rid of the Republican and Democratic primaries and to change the general election as they now exist in Arizona.
Instead put all candidates from all parties on a single open primary ballot. And then let 100 percent of Arizona’s registered voters choose several to go to the general election and be on the ballot.
Part Three – is, in the general election, use ranked choice to ensure that, regardless of party, the candidate who wins is the candidate that has a majority of all voters in support.
Progress to Date
Three other states and over 50 cities across America have already shown the way.
Maine
Maine has used Ranked Choice Voting since the 2016 November election, and the courts have upheld these rights for voters, despite several attempts to overturn the law.
Alaska
Alaska voters, in the 2020 General Election, approved an initiative to establish a nonpartisan, single ballot for all candidates from any party primary election system.
In the primary, Alaskan voters vote for one candidate in each race and the top four candidates from each race will go on to the general election.
In the general election, voters use Ranked Choice Voting to ensure that the winner among the top four candidates will be the one that has a majority of all voters in support.
Nevada
And just last Tuesday, voters in Nevada approved the first of what must be two voter approvals in two separate elections to establish a system similar to Alaska’s except that the top 5 vote getting candidates in the primary will go on the general election ballot, which will be decided with Ranked Choice voting to ensure the winner has the support of a majority of all Nevada voters.
Representation Malpractice
It’s telling that many top politicians in both political parties opposed Nevada’s ballot measure. They want to reduce, not increase, their political competition.
They just want to stay in power.
They are putting their interests ahead of the interests of those they were elected to represent.
And that is not the job they were elected to do.
It’s representation malpractice.
Arizona Soon
Arizona plans to have something similar to Nevada for voters to consider in an upcoming November election.
So when many politicians oppose this measure in Arizona, call them out for not doing their job.
And vote for candidates who will represent the common good of all Arizonans.
Kazz Fernandes of Voter Choice Arizona will follow me and explain to you in more detail what’s planned, and how that will work in Arizona.
We can do this! We can fix our democracy.
So spread the word. Be advocates. Be passionate. Be patriots. Proudly carry our American flag.
And know you are standing up with many more of us, for something much bigger and more important than just ourselves.
Thank you for inviting us to speak with you today.
This is an all volunteer effort, and the only reason I’m able to be here today is because of the support I’m receiving from volunteers all across the country in so many ways. But we still have gaps, and more volunteers are needed, so if any you wish to help, please step up.
You may wonder why an 80 year old man and volunteers would be engaging in a completely nonpartisan walk across America, from the west coast to our capitol in Washington DC.
I walk to engage with all American people and support local, state and federal efforts by you to Fix Our Democracy.
It’s 10 miles a day, 5 days a week, accompanied by volunteers with a wide range of skills, plus a pretty cool support RV to help spread our message. Have you seen it outside?
I’ll tell you why I’m walking.
Our federal political system isn’t working right today.
It isn’t properly serving our common good.
We’re headed toward autocracy, instead of strengthening our representative democracy.
The failure of those we’ve elected to properly do their job has consequences.
Our nation is on a downward path because of it.
And most of us already know this.
So let me ask you, YES or NO:
Are a majority of those we have elected properly representing our interests?
Are they instead primarily representing their own reelection interests, those of their wealthiest and most influential donors, their political party, their campaign consultants, and the media who make huge profits on campaign ads?
This is why you and I, and millions of Americans must act, to save and improve our representative democracy.
We must stand up, speak out, be patriots, march, advocate, and vote.
But let me be clear. There are many good people working hard to pass legislation in Congress and in the states that will help fix our democracy.
They even totaled a slight majority of those in our House of Representatives this past year.
But they do not constitute a majority in our US Senate, where the rules have been set to allow even a small minority to block such fixes.
The result is that Congress as a whole, can not and has not, been able to act to reform and fix our democracy, and also has not been able to enact helpful legislation on so many other issues that have the support of a majority of we American people.
The good news is that we, the American people, have the power to fix this.
Each state has the power to determine how its elections will be run. We the people can change many of the broken parts of our political process to serve our interests rather than their interests.
Here’s what we can do:
We can reform our political process to make it more fair, equitable, inclusive and more competitive.
We can get more turnover and better representation for our common good or, if this can’t be accomplished, set reasonable term limits for our elected representatives.
We can have independent commissions draw voting districts, so we voters can choose who we elect, rather than having politicians and their political party choose which voters they think will most likely vote for them.
We can have campaigns publicly funded, not by only 2% of us as now, but by 100% of all registered voters with a small rebate or credit we can use to support the candidates of our choice.
We can require those who use our public airways to have many more neutrally moderated debates and discussions among candidates, before elections.
We can allow all candidates who have received large threshold numbers of small donations, the opportunity to present their views to much bigger audience so we can then decide which candidate or candidates will best represent our interests.
We can put all primary candidates, regardless of party, on a single ballot, and allow all registered voters to select the highest vote getters for the general election.
In that election, we can use ranked choice voting to ensure that whomever we elect has the majority of us in support.
We can enact automatic and secure voter registration and vote from home ballots.
We can reform our electoral process to prevent those who do not have the highest vote total, from subverting the will of we the people and taking power anyways.
In summary, we must change enough or all of these fixes in order to get proper representation.
You in Nevada have a great opportunity to improve things right now.
How? By voting for Ballot Question #3 to make the Nevada primary process more inclusive in ways that will serve the interests of all Nevadans.
The fact that many in both political parties oppose Ballot Question #3 tells you they want to reduce, not increase, their political competition.
They just want to stay in power.
They are putting their interests ahead of your interests.
And that is not the job you elected them to do.
It’s representation malpractice.
So call them out for not doing their job.
And vote for candidates who will represent the common good of all Nevadans.
So now let’s move to the national level, where our two major political parties act like two warring Super Bowl teams, each doing everything they can to win at all costs.
There’s a problem with this.
In football, the goal is to win.
But in politics, the job of those who win is to govern on behalf of all 330+ million of us.
This isn’t happening properly.
Meanwhile, we the people whose interests are supposed to be represented, have never been more upset.
Seldom, if ever have we needed proper representation more than we do now.
The problem is, we’re not getting it.
This is why we need to fix it.
Here’s how bad it is:
Most of us have lost our trust in Washington.
We urgently need candidates and representatives who will fix our democracy to properly serve our common good.
The system has been hijacked, to ensure those with power keep it.
Unscrupulous politicians are willing to corrupt and shatter the very institutions and rights that brought them to power.
That’s how autocracy begins.
There’s little correlation between getting elected and serving the will of the people.
The two major parties prioritize their candidates’ re-election interests, and the interests of their party and biggest campaign money contributors, ahead of our public interests and common good.
They rig the system and set the rules to stifle competition from independent and third-party candidates.
They control the money, the debates, and the primaries. They even draw their own voting districts.
Congress is so regularly gridlocked, there’s little progress on the issues important to most of us.
Small numbers of our representatives can block actions that benefit the greatest percentage of us all.
Meanwhile, almost half of American workers who work a full work week, can’t earn enough to afford basics like rent and food.
We see the very rich becoming much richer, while many see the collapse of the middle class.
And the working class face low wages, dead end jobs, debt, homelessness, lack of health care and too little educational opportunity.
For the first time since the great depression, life expectancy in the US is headed down, as drug overdoses and suicides rise.
Once a world leader for healthcare and education among all advanced economies, we are now in the bottom quarter for healthcare and bottom half for education.
How does that make you feel as students and professors?
Unaffordable lifesaving prescriptions and medical bills are the reason most Americans file for bankruptcy.
Our country is getting poorer, sicker, more divided, and our families are paying the price.
Therefore, I say again, there’s an urgent need for a properly functioning government to serve our common good.
So Let me ask you:
Will you support Ballot Measure 3 and be part of the next victory in your state?
Will you organize and join nonpartisan citizen walks to Fix Our Democracy in your community?
Will you do so at the next opportunity that’s coming right up – Veterans Day, Friday, November 11th?
Will you only vote for politicians who will lead to fix our democracy?
Will you reach out to other organizations of all types, and work together to fix the system so government can work for you, your present and future family, and the rest of us?
We can do this!
So spread the word. Be passionate. Be patriots. Proudly carry our American flag.
And know you are standing up with many more of us, for something much bigger and more important than just ourselves.
initiative on Ranked Choice Voting in an upcoming election. I mentioned in my last letter about Nevada’s success with open primaries and RCV, so I’m thrilled that Arizona will attempt to implement RCV. 
Arizona, and it is exciting to see doing what their own legislators won’t! Voters resoundingly approved Arizona 
able to speak Nov. 1 at a rally supporting Nevada Question 3, a citizen initiative which would create an open primary system, with all candidates running on one primary ballot regardless of party. The top five candidates then advance to the general and are decided by ranked choice voting. Predictably, politicians on both sides of the aisle in Nevada DON’T LIKE IT because it weakens party power, but the voters DO! It passed its first hurdle by garnering 52.7% of the vote on Nov. 8th! Congratulations! BUT, it must face a second vote in 2024 to actually make it part of the Nevada constitution. 
While my friend and amazing volunteer Jim Richards & I couldn’t walk in the Kingman, Arizona Veterans Day parade because we were too “political,” we found a great parking spot and had some wonderful conversations with folks who came over to see what we were about. It’s pretty red around here, yet voters almost all agree that we are not being represented! (
