Instant Runoff Voting

1. Instant Runoff Voting Presented By: Deborah Markowitz Vermont Secretary of State

2. An election reform that is starting to catch on. • Was endorsed by 53 Vermont towns through non-binding resolutions • Was recently adopted for Municipal Elections by voters in San Francisco • Has passed charter amendments in other municipalities • Is being considered for statewide use in an August referendum in Alaska • Has been introduced as bills in over a dozen state legislatures Instant Runoff Voting...

3. Plurality Elections Whichever candidate gets the most votes wins. Most U.S. elections use plurality rules. Advantages • No runoff is ever needed Problems • The majority choice is often not elected

4. But majority prefer A over B Winner Winner Plurality Rules

5. Second Election Runoffs If no candidate receives a majority, all candidates but the top two are eliminated. A second election is conducted between the finalists. Advantages • Assures a majority winner Problems • Added taxpayer expense for second election • Added candidate expense for secondary campaigning • Very low voter turnout for runoff • Difficult to administer • Potential compromise candidate could be eliminated

6. What Is Instant Runoff Voting? • Method of voting that requires a majority to elect a candidate • Determines a majority winner by conducting instant runoffs using voter preferences until one candidate has a majority • Cheaper and more efficient than second elections

7. Instant Runoff Voting Voters specify their order of preference for candidates. Ballots are tallied through a series of instant runoffs until the majority winner is determined. • Assures majority rule - a true mandate from the voters • Voters go to the polls only once • Less expensive than a second election runoff • Eliminates the spoiler problem

8. Declare a winner Voters Vote Their Preferences Yes Tally All Ballots No No majority Eliminate lowest candidate How IRV Works Is there a majority winner? Retally Ballots

9. IRV - Typical Ballot The voter is presented with a list of all candidates and given the option of specifying his or her order of preference for candidates. The voter may choose to give just a first preference. Ballot for Office

10. IRV- Proposed Vermont Ballot This ballot has been tentatively approved by my elections office for use if Vermont passes its pending IRV bill.

11. Instant runoff voting can determine a majority winner in a single election, which: saves money eliminates hassle maximizes voter turnout allows for the possibility of a compromise candidate Instant runoff voting: restores majority rule eliminates the spoiler problem may reduce mud-slinging campaigns IRV From Two Perspectives States that already use runoff elections States that use plurality elections

12. IRV Concerns • Too complicated for voters Reality: IRV makes sense with voter education • Creates headaches for election administration Reality: No burden on local election officials • Voting equipment cannot handle the ballots Reality: Modern equipment can handle it NOTE: It is important to assure your state’s new equipment has this flexibility, in order to protect the capital investment.

13. Instant Runoff Voting For more information contact: Vermont Secretary of State www.sec.state.vt.us (802) 828-2363 Center for Voting and Democracy www.fairvote.org