Instant runoff voting
By Chuck O'Neil
Published May 31st 2006 in sacbee.com
I'm glad to see The Bee recognizes the need for improvement in our
electoral system ("Not so democratic," editorial, May 19). But I wish
The Bee would look into modern ranked voting systems.
Instant runoff voting (IRV) has been adopted by many California communities and around the nation. IRV eliminates the need for two elections to assure a majority vote.
Sen. Debra Bowen introduced SB 596 to allow general law jurisdictions to opt for ranked voting and other voting techniques. Unfortunately, senators who have been elected with pluralities defeated her efforts. Fortunately, it is fairly easy to adopt a charter and at the same time adopt a new voting system. Davis is offering a charter that adopts ranked voting to its voters.
Ranked choice voting techniques save money and are more democratic.
Instant runoff voting (IRV) has been adopted by many California communities and around the nation. IRV eliminates the need for two elections to assure a majority vote.
Sen. Debra Bowen introduced SB 596 to allow general law jurisdictions to opt for ranked voting and other voting techniques. Unfortunately, senators who have been elected with pluralities defeated her efforts. Fortunately, it is fairly easy to adopt a charter and at the same time adopt a new voting system. Davis is offering a charter that adopts ranked voting to its voters.
Ranked choice voting techniques save money and are more democratic.
Election Day '09 was a roller-coaster for election reformers. Instant runoff voting had a great night in Minnesota, where St. Paul voters chose to implement IRV for its city elections, and Minneapolis voters used IRV for the first time—with local media touting it as a big success. As the Star-Tribune noted in endorsing IRV for St. Paul, Tuesday’s elections give the Twin Cities a chance to show the whole state of Minnesota the benefits of adopting IRV. There were disappointments in Lowell and Pierce County too, but high-profile multi-candidate races in New Jersey and New York keep policymakers focused on ways to reform elections; the Baltimore Sun and Miami Herald were among many newspapers publishing commentary from FairVote board member and former presidential candidate John Anderson on how IRV can mitigate the problems of plurality elections.