About Us
If government OF the people is to be government FOR the people, we must have GOVERNMENT BY THE PEOPLE!
Government by the People is a non-partisan political action committee serving as a source of information and an organizing hub for concerned citizens who want to work together across party lines to use the initiative process to reform our political system by moving to a system of ranked-choice voting.
The Initiative is a powerful from of Direct Democracy
The initiative allows citizens to propose and pass legislation and/or amendments to state constitutions without the involvement or approval of a state legislature or governor. The process involves submitting a proposal for a law or constitutional amendment, gathering the required number of signatures on petitions to get a proposal on the ballot, and then having the voters approve it.
Twenty-four states have some form of initiative: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
The process is easier in some states than others. Some states have restrictions on what can be done through the initiative, require a greater number of signatures to place a proposal on the ballot, or require a super-majority for a proposal to become law.
Genuine Democracy
Ranked-choice voting allows voters to vote for more than one candidate for executive offices or for legislatures with multiple member districts, ranking their choices in order of preference. With regard to legislatures, it is a form of proportional representation – the most common form of government in democracies around the world.
Some form of proportional representation is in place in 27 of the 35 largest democracies and in 94 countries altogether. It is a more genuinely democratic way to conduct elections and elect governments that more accurately reflect the will of the people.
Call to action
In any state where the required number of people are willing to work gathering signatures on petitions to put reform proposals on the ballot, we can establish a government of, by, and for the people. With enough citizens willing to sign petitions and enough volunteers to gather those signatures we can enact ranked choice voting. And we can’t be stopped by the defenders of the corrupt, dysfunctional political system that is currently in place.
We encourage you to provide your contact information so we can add you to our data base of “Citizen Legislators” by clicking “Join Our Campaign” in the right sidebar. If you are willing to volunteer to help gather signatures, click “Volunteer” at the bottom of the form.
If you would like to make a financial contribution to support our efforts, please click on “Contribute Today.”
Privacy notice: Your contact information will not be shared with any other organizations. You will not be bombarded with emails or endless requests for financial contributions.
We will communicate with you regarding important votes and other actions in Congress; political events being held in your area; and where our petitions can be signed (if you live in a state with an active initiative campaign).