As someone who has spent a lifetime in public service — first as a state senator, then as secretary of state, governor and U.S. senator — I’ve always believed that our democracy works best when it gives the people a real voice.

That’s why I’m deeply concerned about the direction West Virginia is headed, when it comes to elections. We’ve reached a dangerous point where some lawmakers would rather protect their own power than protect your right to vote -- and the latest attacks on ranked choice voting and independent voters prove it.

West Virginia has never even used ranked choice voting. Yet, lawmakers went out of their way to ban it. Why? Because ranked choice voting gives power to the people, and some politicians don’t want to compete for your vote; they want to control the outcome befo

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