Summary
Utah

IRV in Utah

  • IRV used by the Republican Party since 2001

On Saturday, May 8, 2004, the Utah Republican Party held a convention with 3,500 delegates who were charged with selecting their party's nominees for the office of Governor, Attorney General, and numerous US Congressional seats. To ensure majority support for their nominees and save on election time and expense, the Utah Republicans used instant runoff voting.

In 2001, the Utah Republican Party adopted instant runoff voting (IRV) for elections that take place at its state conventions. Several counties also use IRV at their county conventions. The party uses IRV to elect officers and to nominate candidates -- candidates can win outright at the convention or, if neither of the final two candidates has 60% support, advance to a runoff primary.

IRV was used to nominate congressional candidates in 2002. By 2003, it was used to elect party officers, and, in 2004, it will be used for elections of the governor (an open seat), U.S. senators and representatives, attorney general, national committeeman and national committee woman.

Prior to 2002, the party used a multiple-round ballot system that often took many hours and resulted in decreases in voter turnout before the decisive election -- a problem encountered by many parties and organizations that hold repeated balloting for elections during their conventions.

See a visual description of the IRV balloting process

See results of the 2003 Utah Republican Convention Elections

 
Resources
 



 
Media
Articles about IRV in Utah
October 22nd 2007
'Yes' on instant runoff voting
Herald Tribune

Local editorial on why instant runoff voting could be a good option for Sarasota (FL), and "deserves to be approved."

June 11th 2007
Instant runoffs might be fix for voter fatigue
The Los Angeles Times

News report on growing interest in instant runoff voting in Los Angeles.

October 19th 2005
Why two elections when one will do?
Standard-Examiner

A letter to the editor that urges Utah to adopt IRV because it will save time and money. Mentions FairVote as a good resource for information about IRV.

May 16th 2004
An instant improvement
Provo Daily Herald

An editorial that praises IRV as a system that will represent individual voters opinions better

May 11th 2004
GOP outcome is no tilt to the right
Salt Lake Tribune

Analysts agree that moderates won out in Utah's IRV elections.