By Stuart Dixon
Published November 18th 2005 in The Daily Avertiser
With the recognition of the rights of evacuated Louisiana voters, can we put their rights on the same par as our military and overseas residents?
The special absentee ballots allow voters to rank their choices for the general election so that both the primary and general election absentee ballots can be filled out and sent in at the same time.
That is an abbreviated form of instant runoff voting the legislature adopted for the military voters some years back. IRV would save Louisiana between $1 million and $2 million a year in local special elections around the state.
High school student governments that adopt IRV ensure that winners emerge by majority in one election. The friends of candidates will rank all of their choices and not have to bluff anyone that they voted for him or her.
I am a Metairie evacuee based in Tennessee.
Stuart Dixon
Memphis, Tenn