In North Carolina, the state legislature on July 18 sent to the governor
legislation to extend the current pilot program for IRV in localities in
the wake of highly successful IRV elections in 2007 and an endorsement
from the League of Women Voters of NC. In Memphis (TN), a charter
commission has placed IRV on the November ballot, one among several
upcoming IRV measures around the nation. In Long Beach (CA), the Long Beach Press Telegram endorsed the city election director's proposal for IRV. This
fall's five leading candidates for president all have been active
supporters of IRV, while the student-run Roosevelt Institution's new25 Ideas for Electoral Reform features two proposals for instant
runoff voting.By Tom Johnson
Published February 24th 2009 in The City Paper
Regarding A.C. Kleinheider’s column ["Don't close open primaries," Feb. 19]: As much as I despise the two-party stranglehold on government and long for the day when Independents are the norm, I recognize parties' right to exist.
I also recognize their right to choose their candidates however they want to. I do not feel entitled to have a say in whom a party nominates, even though that party might strategically be well-advised to gauge candidates' standing among us Independents. I say let each party decide whether or not to extend its Tennessee primary vote beyond its membership.
At the same time, Kleinheider need not be so resigned to our being "stuck with the two-party system." If we used instant runoffs, voters would be far less inhibited from expressing their true preferences on the ballot — even if the candidate they consider best is neither a Democrat nor a Republican. This voting system, which was adopted last year in Memphis, could be applied to statewide races to make the field truly competitive, which is to say having more than two viable choices.
I also recognize their right to choose their candidates however they want to. I do not feel entitled to have a say in whom a party nominates, even though that party might strategically be well-advised to gauge candidates' standing among us Independents. I say let each party decide whether or not to extend its Tennessee primary vote beyond its membership.
At the same time, Kleinheider need not be so resigned to our being "stuck with the two-party system." If we used instant runoffs, voters would be far less inhibited from expressing their true preferences on the ballot — even if the candidate they consider best is neither a Democrat nor a Republican. This voting system, which was adopted last year in Memphis, could be applied to statewide races to make the field truly competitive, which is to say having more than two viable choices.
