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What is Ranked Choice Voting?
√ Ranked Choice Voting (or Instant Runoff Voting) allows voters to RANK candidates on their ballot according to their 1st, 2nd, 3rd CHOICE, etc.
√ In single-seat races, it ensures a winner is chosen by majority vote.
√ In multi-seat races, it ensures all groups of voters win their fair share of representation.
√ The concept is simple.
What went wrong in the MN ‘08 Senate election?
√One of the most negative in Minnesota history
√Most expensive in Minnesota history
√Whoever wins, the majority of voters will be left dissatisfied
Several ‘08 races were decided by a minority of voters
√ CD 3: Erik Paulsen 48.5%
√ CD 6: Michele Bachman 46.4%
√ Senate District 16: Lisa Fobbe 48.3%
√ House District 41A: Keith Downey 36.7%
√ House District 51A: Tim Sanders 47.8%
Winning %
Are plurality outcomes becoming the norm in MN elections?
√ 14 statewide races since 1998 when Jesse Ventura won with just 37% of the vote
√ 16 Minnesota legislative races since 2006
√ The last governor elected by a majority was Arne Carlson (50% in 1990 & 63% in 1994)
What are the benefits of RCV?
1. It ensures candidates win with a majority of support in single-winner elections.
2. It’s simple. Voters get it.
3. It’s efficient.
4. It’s constitutional.
5. It’s proven locally and globally.
6. There are no wasted votes or “spoilers”.
7. It promotes greater voter participation.
8. Campaigns become more positive.
9. Taxpayers pay for only one election, voters make only one trip to the polls.
Do voters understand RCV?
Yes. Exit polls show voters understood RCV well or
very well in their first state election.
INSTANT RUNOFF VOTING BALLOT
PRESIDENT OF IRELAND
Fill in only one oval per choice Your 2ND and 3RD choices will be used if your 1st choice loses
VOTE for your
1st choice here
MARK your 2nd choice
MARK your 3rd choice
Austin Currie
Brian Lenihan
Mary Robinson
1st 2nd 3rd
Is the Ballot simple to fill out?
Yes.
How does RCV produce majority
winners in a single election?
√ One-step, convenient
√ Saves money
√ Increases voter participation
√ Accomplishes in one election what traditional runoffs accomplish in two
Traditional Runoff
NovemberGeneral
DecemberRunoff
Instant Runoff
(In a state partisan election)
How does RCV produce majority
winners in a local elections?
√ One-step, convenient
√ Saves money
√ Increases voter participation
√ Accomplishes in one election what traditional runoffs accomplish in two
Traditional Runoff
SeptemberPrimary
NovemberGeneral Election
Instant Runoff
(In a local nonpartisan election)
U.S. CITIES USING RCV Cambridge, MASan Francisco, CABurlington, VTTakoma Park, MDCary, NCHendersonville, NCPierce County, WAAspen, CO
U.S. CITIES WITH CURRENTCAMPAIGNSSaint Paul, MNCincinnati, OHLos Angeles, CA
U.S. CITIESPENDING IMPLEMENTATIONBerkeley, CADavis, CAOakland, CASanta Clara, CASan Leandro, CASarasota, FLFerndale, MITwo Harbors, MNMinneapolis, MNSanta Fe, NMMemphis, TNVancouver, WANC pilot cities
Who’s using RCV?
CURRENTU.S. STATE LEGISLATIONArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoLouisianaMinnesotaNorth CarolinaSouth CarolinaVermont
OTHER DEMOCRACIES AustraliaNew ZealandIrelandNorthern IrelandLondonScotland
How does RCV work?
1. If a candidate receives a majority of first choice votes, that candidate wins.
2. If not, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and votes castfor this candidate are redistributed to remaining candidates according to the second choice on each of those voters’ ballots.
3. All the ballots are counted again and if a candidate receives a majority, that candidate wins. If not, the process is repeated until one candidate has a majority of votes.
How does RCV work?
How does RCV work in multi-seat elections?
Ranked Choice Voting works equally well when
there are multiple seats to fill. Candidates win by obtaining a
certain “threshold”, depending on the number of seats to fill. If a
voter’s first choice has enough votes to be elected, or is
eliminated as a result of having too few votes, then the voter’s
second choice is counted and potentially the voters’ third choice
and so on, until all the seats are filled.
Will my vote be wasted?
No.
Your vote counts exclusively for your first choice as long as that candidate has any chance of winning.
Your second, third choice, etc., are your back-up runoff choices.
Your ballot only counts for your second choice if your first choice does not make it into the runoff.
Will RCV promote voter participation?
Yes.
Ranked choice voting consolidates two rounds of elections into one thereby ENSURING THAT ALL
CANDIDATES ARE ON THE BALLOT IN THE GENERAL ELECTION WHEN VOTER TURNOUT IS HIGHEST and
maximizing voter participation in the selection of the winner.
Is RCV constitutional?
Yes.
It upholds “One Person, One Vote”.
Upheld in Minnesota Supreme Court.
No one gets to vote twice, it merely allows voters to rank their preferred candidates.
A constitutional amendment is not needed to allow for Ranked Choice Voting.
Does RCV have multi-partisan support?
Senator McCainPresident Obama
Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Speaker of the MN House
Dave Durenberger, Former US Senator
Tim Penny, Former US Congressman
Cam Gordon, Minneapolis Council Member
Some people say…
“The current system has worked well for over 200 years —so why change?”
Some people said…
…that this system worked.
Some people said…
…that this system worked.
Secret Vote?
Women Vote?
Non-Prop. Owners?
Minorities Vote?
Instant Runoff Voting ?
1789 2007
Is RCV the next step in modernizing our voting system?
NO
NO
NO
NO
NO
YES
YES (1920)
YES (1800’S)
YES (1965)
YES
Nick Coleman, Star Tribune
“Instant Runoff Voting is a nonpartisan, fair and sanity— restoring way of avoiding the train wreck we are in now, because it lets voters rank their candidates according to their preference.”
“That means you don’t have to hold your nose and try to choose the lesser of two evils.”
What are people saying about RCV?
Sally Pillsbury, community activist
“As a lifelong activist and voter, I like Instant Runoff Voting because it gives voters like myself a first and second choice. It means that more good candidates can run, but in the end, the winner is the choice of the majority of voters."
What are people saying about RCV?
Brian Melendez, chair, Minnesota DFL Party
“Instant Runoff Voting is a way to guarantee that whoever gets elected has the support of a majority, an absolute majority, of the voter….It allows the electorate to express their preferences the most clearly and it assures that the candidate who is elected has the broadest possible support.”
What are people saying about RCV?
Tim Penny, former U.S. Congressman from Minnesota
“With IRV, no vote is wasted.”
What are people saying about RCV?
Elizabeth Glidden, Minneapolis City Council member
“Municipal primary turnout is dismal, and this is where critical decisions are made. We must have greater voter participation in our elections.”
What are people saying about RCV?
Dave Durenberger, Former U.S. Senator
“IRV allows voters to vote their hopes instead of their fears by ranking candidates in order of preference without worrying about spoiler dynamics or wasted votes. It encourages sincere voting and reduces the need for tactical voting — something that is an issue in many elections.”
What are people saying about RCV?
Jeanne Massey, Executive Director, FairVote Minnesota
“Ranked choice voting gives power to the voters. It opens the political process to more voices, empowers voters with more choices, makes campaigns more substantive and ensures voters are more accurately represented.”
What are people saying about RCV?
What are people saying about RCV?
Ralph Remington, Minneapolis City Council member
“Instant Runoff Voting is the purest form of democracy and truly makes every vote count and gives everyone a voice.”
Ranked Choice Voting Saves Time, Money
Duluth News Tribune, March 21, 2009
State’s High Court to Expedite Appeal on Instant Runoff Voting
Minneapolis Star Tribune, March 18, 2009
Jay Benanav and Jane Prince; IRV Belongs on Ballot This Fall in St. Paul
Pioneer Press, March 12, 2009
My Turn: City Voters Fortunate to Have IRV
Burlington Free Press, March 2, 2009
David Durenberger and David Schultz: Instant Runoff Voting Would Make Every Vote Count
Duluth News Tribune, April 5, 2009
RCV in the news
RCV in the news
Burlington Politics More Civil These Days
WCAX News, March 1, 2009
Judge Upholds Instant Runoff Voting in Minneapolis
Minnesota Public Radio, January 14, 2009
Minneapolis Moves Forward on IRVing
MinnPost, February 6, 2009
John Hottinger & Carl Cummins: Runoff Elections? Yes, Please — But Please Make Them Instant
Star Tribune, January 13, 2009
Nick Coleman: Elections With Less Acrimony? That’s the True Beauty of IRV
Star Tribune, November 24, 2008