By JOHN QUICK
In this episode of the Must Read Alaska Show, host John Quick sits down with Mark Frohnmayer, who is a software and electric vehicle entrepreneur, as well as a pioneering advocate for electoral reform.
Mark shares his fascinating journey from being in the game development industry to sustainable transportation entrepreneurship and election science. With a degree in electrical engineering and computer science from University of California Berkeley, Mark’s innovative spirit has led him to create solutions across various fields.
We delve into Mark’s background, exploring some of his favorite memories and milestones, including his time as the lead programmer of popular games like Starsiege: Tribes and Tribes 2, and his pivotal role in founding the electric vehicle company, Arcimoto. Mark provides insights into the challenges and triumphs of launching a sustainable transportation startup and his experiences serving on the Oregon Transportation Commission.
The conversation takes a deep dive into electoral reform as Mark discusses the inception of the Equal Vote Coalition and the creation of the STAR voting system.
He explains why he believes STAR voting is far superior to the rank-choice voting system, emphasizing its core criteria of Equality, Honesty, Accuracy, Expressiveness, and Simplicity.
Here’s how STAR voting works:
- – Voters score each candidate on a scale of zero to five.
- – The candidate you like the most is the one you score highest.
- – The two candidates who receive the most of the highest scores become finalists and enter an automatic runoff.
- – During the automatic runoff, a ballot counts as one vote for the finalists that the voter scored higher.
STAR voting was recently given to voters as an option to use in the future. On the ballot in Eugene, Ore. this month, it was rejected. It is criticized by those the big players who promote ranked-choice voting and is viewed by them as unwelcome competition with RCV. Learn more about STAR voting at this link.
While host John Quick remains critical of both STAR and ranked-choice voting systems, Quick recognizes the importance of having a dialogue with those who have different views.
Tune in for an enlightening and thought-provoking discussion with Mark Frohnmayer, as we explore the intersections of technology, entrepreneurship, and the quest for a more informed electoral process.
Whether you’re interested in gaming, electric vehicles, or election reform, this episode offers something for you.
The Must Read Alaska Show, Alaska’s No. 1 podcast, is found at any podcasting platform that you may use, or check it out here at Podbean.
