WHEREAS Title ____, Chapter ____, Section ___ of the by-laws reads “ [the current text providing for plurality or runoff elections],” and

WHEREAS [any problem the SGA has faced; ex: runoff elections cost the SGA $XXXX for each instance; candidates have won races with less than majority support of the campus in recent elections; voter turnout has declined for runoffs in recent elections, etc.]

WHEREAS instant runoff voting ensures that a candidate wins an election with majority support without the need for a runoff election, while encouraging positive campaigning,

BE IT ENACTED that Title ___, Chapter ____, Sections ___ of the by-laws be amended to read:

Section ____ For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:

"Instant Runoff Voting" means a method of casting and tabulating votes that simulates the ballot counts that would occur if all voters participated in a series of runoff elections with one candidate eliminated after each round of counting. In elections using the Instant Runoff Voting method, voters may rank the candidates in order of preference.

"Advancing candidate" means a candidate who has not been eliminated.

"Continuing ballot" means a ballot that is not an exhausted ballot.

"Exhausted ballot" means a ballot on which there are no choices marked other than choices for eliminated candidates.

Section ____ For the offices of [SGA President, Vice President, Trustee, Area Government Officers, and all single-seat Senate races], the ballots shall be counted by the method of instant runoff voting, prescribed herein:

1. The initial round of counting shall be a count of the first choices marked on each ballot.  If any candidate receives a majority of the first choices, that candidate shall be declared the winner, pending ratification.

2. If no candidate receives a majority of first choices, there shall be a second round of counting.  The last-place candidate shall be eliminated, and all the continuing ballots shall be recounted.  Each continuing ballot shall be counted as one vote for that ballot’s highest ranked advancing candidate.

3. If no candidate receives a majority at the second round of counting, there shall be a third round of counting, continuing in the manner prescribed above.

4. The process of eliminating the last-place candidates and recounting all the continuing ballots shall continue until one candidate receives a majority of the votes in a round.  The candidate who receives a majority of the votes in a round shall be declared the winner, pending ratification.

5. When a ballot does not list a preference for any given round, it shall not be counted in that round or any subsequent round.

6. If there are not sufficient second and lower choices for any candidate to receive a majority, the candidate with the highest number of votes shall be declared the winner, pending ratification.

7. When a ballot becomes an exhausted ballot it shall not be counted in that round or any subsequent round.

TIP: If all expenditures must be approved by a budget or ways & means committee, check if you need to include an additional resolution to appropriate any necessary funds for equipment upgrades or voter education.