The Way Democracy Will Be: The Next Generation of State Electoral Reform

1. The Way Democracy Will Be: The Next Generation of State Electoral Reform Rob Richie Executive Director, FairVote www.fairvote.org

2. FairVote • Researches and develops innovative reform policies • Board chairman is John B. Anderson • Coalition member in Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and Network on State Election Reform • Participant in National Popular Vote coalition

3. Focus of Today’s Presentation • Voter registration and voter education • Uniform advance voter registration • Automatic voter registration • Voting mechanics modules in schools • Instant runoff voting ballots • Military voters in SC, AS, LA • NC model for replacing runoffs • VT legislation to replace plurality

4. Voter Registration Problems • Low voter registration rates • Roughly 7 in 10 eligible voters • Barely half of eligible voters under 25 • Impact of Low Voter Registration Rates • Lowers voter turnout in some elections • Undercuts administration of elections

5. Uniform Voter Registration Age • Establish age of 16 for advance voter registration • No effect on voting age and no fiscal impact • Registration becomes active when citizen reaches voting age and receive “welcome” packet • Hawaii’s model / Advances in RI, MD

6. Complementary Proposals • Voter education / mechanics programs in schools • Hiring youth as pollworkers / technical aides • Automatic voter registration in schools & at DMV • State-financed voter guides

7. State-Financed Voter Guides • Tested in some form in 14 states • Provide information on down-ballot candidate choices, ballot measures and voting information • Very helpful to voters with mail ballots • Booklet can include sample ballots that then are brought to the polls

8. Universal/Automatic Registration • International norm, but U.S. lacks obvious pre-existing list of eligible voters • Full and accurate rolls increase access, reduce opportunity of fraud and help administrators • Ideas states could explore: • Automatic registration of citizens when obtaining driver’s license (opt-out allowed) • Requirement to register as with auto insurance or new health care model in Massachusetts

9. Instant Runoff Voting Ballots • What is an instant runoff ballot • Its use for overseas/military voters • Comparison with runoff elections • Comparison with plurality voting

10. What Is Instant Runoff Voting • A ranked choice ballot: Voters rank 1, 2, 3 • Requires a majority to elect a candidate (typically) • Eliminate weak candidates. Allocate those voters’ ballots to next choices until a majority winner • Has earned support of John McCain, Barack Obama, several state League of Women Voters

11. Success on the Ballot and In City Councils and Legislatures • Record on City Ballots, 2004-2006: 8 wins, 0 lossesAverage Victory Share : 68% • Usedin San Francisco (CA), Burlington (VT) and Takoma Park (MD). Soon in Minneapolis (MN), Pierce County (WA), Berkeley & Oakland (CA) • North Carolina’s Model: Pilots in up to 10 cities in 2007, 10 counties in 2008, possibly statewide in 2010 • Overseas Voters: Arkansas, So. Carolina, Louisiana

12. 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

13. IRV Ballots • The voter is presented with a list of all candidates and has option to rank them • The voter may choose to give just a first preference instead of ranking choices.

14. IRV in Practice: San Francisco • 2004 Election: Seven city council races • Majority winners identified despite big fields • Studies show all racial and ethnic groups handle IRV effectively – very low error rates • Exit polls show only 14% want old runoffs • 2005 Election: Three citywide offices • Valid ballots in most contested race: 99.6% • Turnout 3 times higher than in old runoffs

15. IRV in Practice: Burlington • 2006 Mayoral Election • Five candidates in open seat election • First place finisher wins 39% of first choices, then wins in instant runoff count • Valid ballots: 99.9%. • Lowest-income ward: - Of 1200 ballots, only 2 invalid. - 93% ranked one of final 2 candidates • IRV preferred to runoffs by 4 to 1 in exit poll

16. IRV Ballots and Military Voters • Tested solution to protect overseas voters in runoffs in Louisiana, Arkansas, South Carolina • Addresses problem of short turnaround time between first round and second round. • Voter receives an IRV ballot or a regular ballot with an IRV ballot. • IRV ballot is counted in the runoff toward the runoff candidate ranked highest

17. IRV Ballots and Runoffs • Instant runoff voting can determine a majority winner in one election. IRV • saves money • eliminates hassle for voters and administrators • maximizes voter turnout in decisive election • Reduces campaign finance demands • Increases chances of a compromise candidate

18. IRV Ballots and Plurality Voting • Protects majority rule when more than two candidates seek a one-winner office • Vacancies • Primary elections for a safe seat • Reduces the problem of “spoilers” drawing support from one major candidate • May reduce mud-slinging campaigns

19. Other Research Priorities • Citizens assemblies: Canadian model • Multi-seat districts and advanced voting methods to include in redistricting reform debates: Illinois model • Presidential primary reform: American Plan

20. Democracy SOS Proposal • Proposal for web resource to give public information about Secretary of States / State election directors • What they do and their policy views • What information resources are available • Connection to FairVote belief that quality election administration tied to transparency and accountability

21. FairVote RR@fairvote.org (301) 270-4616 www.fairvote.org