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Instant Runoff Voting What It Might Mean for Minneapolis

Improving Democracy

Study Session of theMinneapolis City CouncilApril 22, 2005

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Session Organizers

Session Sponsors: Dan NiziolekRobert Lilligren

Convenor: Robert Lilligren

Presenters: Susanne GriffinJeanne MasseyTony Solgård

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Session Overview

Part 1) What is Instant Runoff Voting?Why use Instant Runoff Voting?

Part 2) How does Instant Runoff Voting work?

Part 3) Demonstration election

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Session Overview

Part 4) Where is Instant Runoff Voting used? How well is it working?

Part 5) How might Instant Runoff Voting change campaigning?

Part 6) What would it take to implement Instant Runoff Voting in Minneapolis?

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What is Instant Runoff Voting?

Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) is a ranked-ballot voting method that assures the majority of voters will choose the winner when there are more than two candidates for a single office.

Part 1

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Why use Instant Runoff Voting?

Higher voter turnout

IRV combines nonpartisan primary with November general election, when voter turnout is highest.

Leading scholars say IRV contributes to moderately higher voter turnout compared to Plurality Voting.

Part 1

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Why use Instant Runoff Voting?

Saves taxes

Minneapolis would save approximately $200,000 in the election year by eliminating the primary runoff election.

Part 1

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Why use Instant Runoff Voting?

Ensures a candidate wins with a majority of voter support

Three candidates for single office can result in winner chosen by less than 50% of voters

Part 1

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Why use Instant Runoff Voting?

No more spoilers and wasted votes

Similar candidates can divide the majority, resulting in the election of a candidate opposed by majority.

Voters are empowered to vote sincerely, without strategic dilemmas, eliminating the ‘wasted’ vote problem.

Part 1

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Why use Instant Runoff Voting?

Expanded political process

IRV accommodates a wider diversity of political opinion on the ballot.

IRV more accurately tallies voter support for minority platforms.

Part 1

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Why use Instant Runoff Voting?

Campaign finance reform

Without a primary election, candidates won't have to raise and spend as much money, supporting the goals of campaign finance reform.

Part 1

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Why use Instant Runoff Voting?

Better campaigns

Coalition-building will be encouraged and negative campaigning discouraged by the incentive to appeal for number two rankings from the supporters of other candidates.

Part 1

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How does IRV work?

1st choice 2nd choice 3rd choice

Candidate A ○ ● ○

Candidate B ○ ○ ○

Candidate C ● ○ ○

Candidate D ○ ○ ●

Sample Ranked Ballot: Rank the candidates in order of preference

Part 2

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Strategic Voting?

Ranking a different 2nd and 3rd choice will not hurt your 1st choice -- because your vote goes to your lower choice only if your higher choice has lost

Ranking your favorite candidate three times will not help that candidate

Ranking only a single candidate (“bullet voting”) will not give an advantage to that candidate. And if your first choice is eliminated, you will no longer participate in the runoff.

Part 2

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Recount All Ballots

Recount All Ballots

Count Voters’ First Choices

Winner!Count Finished

Eliminate Last Place Candidate

Does One Candidate Have a

Majority?

Does One Candidate Have

a MAJORITY?

YES

NO

How does IRV work?

Part 2

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Step One: Count all the FIRST CHOICES

First Choice Totals in a Sample Election with Four Candidates

CandidateA

CandidateB

CandidateC

CandidateD

Fir

st

Ch

oic

e V

ote

s

2015

3530

Part 2

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Step Two: Does any candidate have a majority of first choices? (Majority is MORE than 50% of the vote)

First Choice Totals in a Sample Election with Four Candidates

CandidateA

CandidateB

CandidateC

CandidateD

Fir

st

Ch

oic

e V

ote

s

2015

3530

50%(Winning Threshold)

Part 2

18First Choice Totals in a Sample Election with Four Candidates

CandidateA

CandidateB

CandidateC

CandidateD

Fir

st

Ch

oic

e V

ote

s

2015

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50%(Winning Threshold)

LeastNumberof Votes

Part 2

Step Three: The candidate with LEAST number of first choices is eliminated from the runoff

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Votes from Candidate B transferred to voters’ second choices

CandidateA

CandidateC

CandidateD

Tota

l Vo

tes

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6 RunoffVotes

50%(Winning Threshold)

45

Part 2

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Votes from Candidate A transferred to voters’ second and third choices

CandidateC

CandidateD

Tota

l Vo

tes 35

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4RunoffVotes

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13 50%(Winning Threshold)

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Part 2

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Demonstration Election

Choosing our favorite ice cream flavor: a demonstration election

Part 2

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Demonstration Election

1st choice 2nd choice 3rd choiceTin RoofSundae O O OChocolateChoco Chip O O OButter Pecan O O OGreen Mint O O O

Rank the candidates in order of preference

Part 3

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Demonstration Election

1st choices Transfers Recount Transfers Recount

Tin Roof Sundae

Choco Choc Chip

Butter Pecan

Green Mint

Non-transferable

Total

Part 3

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Where is IRV used?

Internationally

Australia

Ireland

Malta*

Papua New Guinea

London

.

In the United States

San Francisco CA

Cambridge MA*

Louisiana overseas

absentees

Part 4

*Included here are jurisdictions using the IRV-related proportional representation form of ranked ballots

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Where has IRV been approved?

Instant Runoff Voting has been approved and is pending its first use for elections across the country, including :

Berkeley CAOakland CASan Leandro CASanta Clara County CABurlington VTFerndale MIVancouver, WA Arkansas overseas military

Part 4

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IRV Endorsed by Minnesota League of Women Voters

In March, after an exhaustive two-year study that involved its entire membership, the League of Women Voters announced that the organization endorses IRV for state and local elections.

Part 4

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How might IRV change Campaigning?

Part 5

NATIONAL DESK | September 30, 2004, Thursday

New Runoff System in San Francisco Has the Rival Candidates Cooperating

By DEAN E. MURPHY (NYT) 1387 words Late Edition - Final , Section A , Page 16 , Column 1

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What would it take to implement IRV in Minneapolis?

Charter Change

Voting Equipment

Voter Education and Training

Cost implications

Part 6

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Charter Change

Statutory authority for charter to provide for the election procedures for its officers

Provide sufficient detail on voting method Make IRV implementation contingent on readiness Communicate “why” to voters Put the question before the voters

Part 6

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Voting Equipment

State legislation regarding IRV compatible voting equipment and HAVA requirements

Upgrade current optical scan equipment– Current Model 100 Optical Scan Equipment

– Relationship with Hennepin County

– Current vendor application or RFP for new vendor

– Certification process

Part 6

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Voter Education

Public forums with demonstration elections Internal media - mailings, website, cable TV Public media – news papers, radio, websites Partnerships with voter turnout organizations

Part 6

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Training

City elections office Election judges Elected officials and city staff

Part 6

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Cost Implications

Ongoing cost savings by elimination of the primary election

Conversion costs– Equipment– Education and training– Ballot redesign

Part 6

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Ballot Considerations

Multiple ballots Ballot design

Part 6

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Reporting Results

Same day results Be prepared for larger public interest in the first

election Release results in steps, using graphics

Part 6

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IRV Resources

FairVote - www.fairvotemn.org MN League of Women Voters Study on voting methods

www.lwvmn.org/LWVMNAlternativeVotingStudyReport.pdf

San Francisco’s implementation of IRV - www.ci.sf.ca.us/site/election_page.asp?id=24269

IRV Q & A from Vermont - www.fairvotevermont.org/faq.html#8