De-Spoiling the Election

In 2000, Al Gore beat George W. Bush in the state of New Mexico by a mere 366 votes--a slimmer margin than in Florida. Ralph Nader polled 21,251 votes. Nader not only nearly cost Gore the state but forced him to expend valuable resources there in the campaign's waning days, draining his effort from Florida.

Flash forward to 2004. Once again the Democratic and Republican candidates are locked in a tight race nationally. Once again Nader's entry into the race threatens Kerry's hold on New Mexico. And once again two candidates who share many views and bases of support--and who ideally could work together to challenge George W. Bush on the economy, the Iraq war, the future of Social Security, the environment, political reform and healthcare--instead are players in a Cain and Abel drama, courtesy of the all-or-nothing, winner-take-all nature of our presidential elections.

Yet there is a way out--if New Mexico Democrats decide they want one. Democrats control New Mexico's State Legislature, and one of Kerry's leading vice presidential contenders, Bill Richardson, is governor. Democrats could pass into law--right now--a runoff or instant-runoff system with a majority requirement for President, to insure that the center left does not split its vote between Kerry and Nader.

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