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In a representative democracy, the right of decision belongs to the majority, but the right to representation belongs to all. FairVote advocates for adoption of proportional voting systems for local and state elections, and for an informed debate about their merits for congressional elections.
Advances for Ranked Choice Voting Coast to Coast
Win for IRV in NC and progress in NY, OH, CA, TN and more
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.

The Cincinnati NAACP is promoting a 2008 ballot measure to enact the choice voting method of proportional voting for city council elections, while lawyers for the Brennan Center for Justice this month will present FairVote’s amicus briefs arguing for choice voting in a federal voting rights case in Port Chester (NY).

[NC Votes 1-2-3, a strong coalition of organizations and individuals supporting IRV in North Carolina]
[Long Beach Press Telegram editorial endorsing IRV for Long Beach, CA]
[Roosevelt Institution]
[Cincinnati NAACP]
[Brennan Center for Justice]
[FairVote's amicus brief from the Port Chester (NY) voting rights case]
[See FairVote Executive Director Rob Richie's blog for more on this progress]



Victories in Rhode Island, Colorado and Illinois
Key progress on IRV, NPV and 16-year-old registration
It was a good week for FairVote in the states. On May 27, Colorado governor Bill Ritter signed HB 1378, a bill to allow all Colorado municipalities and special districts to use instant runoff voting and choice voting; FairVote's Rob Richie testied for two hours to the task force that recommended the bill last year. In Illinois, the legislature sent to the governor SF 439, a bill to allow municipalities to use IRV ballots to improve voting rights for overseas voters like those serving in the military.

In Rhode Island the State Senate took two critical steps forward on the reform agenda of our FairVote Rhode Island group. It overwhelmingly passed advance voter registration and the National Popular Vote plan. Former US Senator Lincoln Chafee was a key backer of the NPV bill, which has now passed in 18 of our nation's 99 legislative chambers, while FairVote RI has brought together a broad coalition of civic groups to back advance voter registration. The House already passed advance registration, and a bill should go to the governor this year.

[FairVote Rhode Island]
[Colorado Voter Choice Task Force Report]
[Rob Richie's blog on RI wins] 
[Include Every Voter on IRV ballots for overseas voters]


League of Women Voters of Vermont Supports Proportional Voting
In May of 2008, the League of Women Voters of Vermont updated its position on redistricting and voting methods to include support for proportional voting methods: "The League of Women Voters of Vermont supports the principle of legislative districts using alternative voting methods, such as proportional representation in multi-seat districts, as a way of achieving both competitive elections and fair representation of both majorities and minorities within a district."

The LWV of VT joins the Arizona and South Carolina chapters in acknowleding the role that proportional voting systems can play at solving some of the challenging issues of fair representation facing the United States.

[Read LWV State Positions Supporting Proportional Voting]



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Recent Articles
October 19th 2009
A better election system
Lowell Sun

Election expert Doug Amy explains how choice voting can "inject new blood" into the elections of Lowell (MA), and give voters a greater incentive to participate.

October 16th 2009
Haven't Detroit voters spoken enough?
Livingston Daily

In Detroit, there have been three mayors in the past two years and the current one has come under scrutiny. Perhaps a system like instant runoff voting will help bring political stability to motor city.

August 21st 2009
Black candidate for Euclid school board to test new voting system
Cleveland Plain Dealer

Limited voting, a form of proportional voting, will be used in Euclid (OH), in the hopes of allowing better representation of minorities.

July 2nd 2009
Reforming Albany
New York Times

FairVote's Rob Richie responds in a letter to the editor making the case for proportional voting systems to bring substantive reform to New York's legislature.