North Carolina counties would use instant runoff voting (IRV) in local
elections in 2005-2006 in a pilot project introduced by Rep. Paul
Luebke. On May 18 the bill received bipartisan approval in the North
Carolina house by a vote of 79-32. Under Rep. Luebke’s proposal, the
State Board of Elections would work with up to ten counties interested
in participating in the project. Much of the initiative for
improving North Carolina’s runoffs came from problems in the state’s
2004 elections, which had only 3% voter turnout in a statewide runoff
that cost more than $3 million of taxpayer funds. North Carolina
legislators recognized that IRV could increase voter turnout, reduce
the costs of elections, and ensure more broadly supported winners. The
bill now heads to the state senate. [More about the North Carolina IRV bill].
Pennsylvania
Governor, Ed Rendell, created the Pennsylvania Election Reform Task
Force through Executive Order 2004-11. The bipartisan, 13-member panel
focused on a range of issues and reforms designed to increase voter
turnout and inspire confidence on the state's electoral system. The
Task Force issued its final report to Gov. Rendell on May 12th. Among
its conclusions, were the belief that instant runoff voting and
proportional representation are relevant and ought to be studied further,
as they affect both voter confidence in elections and voter turnout.
Accupoll,
a California-based election equipment vendor, has produced a voting
machine that can handle instant runoff elections. The "Version 2.5"
system, which provides a voter verified paper audit trail, recently
received federal certification. The company proudly proclaims its new
ranked choice capabilities, which should make it a viable competitor as
more locales move toward IRV elections. FairVote applauds Accupoll for
taking initiatives for alternative voting.
