By Jeffry Larson
Published January 3rd 2003 in New Haven Register
Since the state has a task force considering the reform of primary elections, its members should consider measures that go beyond the number of delegates or petition signatures that are required to get on the ballot.
One important way to increase democracy would be to have instant runoff voting, or IRV. This simple system ensures that a winning candidate will receive a majority of votes rather than a simple plurality.
IRV eliminates the need for runoff elections by allowing voters to rank their candidates in order of preference. It guarantees that a voter's favorite candidate will not "spoil" the winning chances of his or her No. 2 candidate.
Such a system would be ideal for primary elections. After proving its success in the primaries, IRV could be introduced into the general election as well.
If the leadership of the two major political parties wanted to promote democracy in Connecticut, they would adopt instant runoff voting.
Jeffry Larson
Hamden
One important way to increase democracy would be to have instant runoff voting, or IRV. This simple system ensures that a winning candidate will receive a majority of votes rather than a simple plurality.
IRV eliminates the need for runoff elections by allowing voters to rank their candidates in order of preference. It guarantees that a voter's favorite candidate will not "spoil" the winning chances of his or her No. 2 candidate.
Such a system would be ideal for primary elections. After proving its success in the primaries, IRV could be introduced into the general election as well.
If the leadership of the two major political parties wanted to promote democracy in Connecticut, they would adopt instant runoff voting.
Jeffry Larson
Hamden
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.