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Two years ago, Florida legislators decided to scrap the second primary election, or runoff as it also is known. But it may be coming back. The way the second primary worked was that if no candidate won more than 50 percent of the vote in the first primary, then the top two candidates squared off again a month later. Elections supervisors pushed to eliminate the runoff in the wake of the 2000 presidential election fiasco. They complained that the October runoff election gave them little time to prepare absentee ballots to mail to out-of-state and overseas voters.

But there were many Republicans and Democrats who have fond memories of the runoff since some of them, including current House Speaker Johnnie Byrd, R-Plant City, would have not been elected without it.

Famed Florida Democrats such as Bob Graham and the late Lawton Chiles would have never been elected as governor or U.S. senator, respectively, without the runoff. So the compromise selected two years ago was to eliminate the runoff for the 2002 elections only. Unless lawmakers act the runoff elections will return for the 2004 elections, when politicians like Byrd may be making a bid for higher office. Rep. Mike Hogan, R-Jacksonville, chairman of the House subcommittee on ethics and elections, said last week that the House does not plan to push legislation to eliminate the runoff in future elections.

Sen. Anna Cowin, R-Leesburg, chairwoman of the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee, however, says the Senate is concerned about reinstating the second primary. She said her committee is looking at the possibility of installing a so-called ''instant runoff.''

The way it would work is that if there were more than two candidates in a race voters would pick both a first and second choice on their ballot. If no candidate won more than 50 percent of the vote, then the top two candidates would receive all the second place voters of the eliminated candidates. Florida actually had this system in place between 1913 and 1931.

But Cowin said she's unsure if she's willing to put the ''instant runoff'' system in place other than as a pilot program. She's fearful it will confuse voters.



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	Primary runoffs may come back Published February 16th 2003 in Florida News Outlet Two years ago, Florida legislators decided to scrap the second primary election, or runoff as it also is known. But it may be coming back. The way the second primary worked was that if no candidate won more than 50 percent of the vote in the first primary, then the top two candidates squared off again a month later. Elections supervisors pushed to eliminate the runoff in the wake of the 2000 presidential election fiasco. They complained that the October runoff election gave them little time to prepare absentee ballots to mail to out-of-state and overseas voters. But there were many Republicans and Democrats who have fond memories of the runoff since some of them, including current House Speaker Johnnie Byrd, R-Plant City, would have not been elected without it. Famed Florida Democrats such as Bob Graham and the late Lawton Chiles would have never been elected as governor or U.S. senator, respectively, without the runoff. So the compromise selected two years ago was to eliminate the runoff for the 2002 elections only. Unless lawmakers act the runoff elections will return for the 2004 elections, when politicians like Byrd may be making a bid for higher office. Rep. Mike Hogan, R-Jacksonville, chairman of the House subcommittee on ethics and elections, said last week that the House does not plan to push legislation to eliminate the runoff in future elections. Sen. Anna Cowin, R-Leesburg, chairwoman of the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee, however, says the Senate is concerned about reinstating the second primary. She said her committee is looking at the possibility of installing a so-called ''instant runoff.'' The way it would work is that if there were more than two candidates in a race voters would pick both a first and second choice on their ballot. If no candidate won more than 50 percent of the vote, then the top two candidates would receive all the second place voters of the eliminated candidates. Florida actually had this system in place between 1913 and 1931. But Cowin said she's unsure if she's willing to put the ''instant runoff'' system in place other than as a pilot program. She's fearful it will confuse voters.