By David Richie
Published September 23rd 2002 in Topsail Voice
Recent results in the Democratic primaries for Sheriff and NC House of
Representatives produced winners with 32% and 36% of the vote,
respectively, with very narrow margins over the second place
candidates. In both cases, runoffs between the top two finishers would
have been required under previous rules - waived this year because of
the lateness of the primaries in the election season.
It is worth noting that a more satisfying result, without delaying the outcome, could have been achieved with instant runoff voting (IRV). With IRV, voters can designate second, third or more choices, which would be counted if their first choice is out of the running. The winning candidate ends up with a majority of votes cast, demonstrating the kind of broad support needed to do well in the general election.
The modern voting machines now in use in Pender County can be programmed to accomodate IRV. Voter education to use IRV is not complicated. Rather than return to the cumbersome and costly runoff system previously in use, it would be a good idea to make provision for IRV in future elections.
Although not yet common in the United States, IRV has recently been adopted by several U.S. cities and is the recommended voting procedure in Roberts' Rules of Order, when there are more than two candidates in an election.
It is worth noting that a more satisfying result, without delaying the outcome, could have been achieved with instant runoff voting (IRV). With IRV, voters can designate second, third or more choices, which would be counted if their first choice is out of the running. The winning candidate ends up with a majority of votes cast, demonstrating the kind of broad support needed to do well in the general election.
The modern voting machines now in use in Pender County can be programmed to accomodate IRV. Voter education to use IRV is not complicated. Rather than return to the cumbersome and costly runoff system previously in use, it would be a good idea to make provision for IRV in future elections.
Although not yet common in the United States, IRV has recently been adopted by several U.S. cities and is the recommended voting procedure in Roberts' Rules of Order, when there are more than two candidates in an election.
Election Day '09 was a roller-coaster for election reformers. Instant runoff voting had a great night in Minnesota, where St. Paul voters chose to implement IRV for its city elections, and Minneapolis voters used IRV for the first time—with local media touting it as a big success. As the Star-Tribune noted in endorsing IRV for St. Paul, Tuesday’s elections give the Twin Cities a chance to show the whole state of Minnesota the benefits of adopting IRV. There were disappointments in Lowell and Pierce County too, but high-profile multi-candidate races in New Jersey and New York keep policymakers focused on ways to reform elections; the Baltimore Sun and Miami Herald were among many newspapers publishing commentary from FairVote board member and former presidential candidate John Anderson on how IRV can mitigate the problems of plurality elections.