Get documents about "Instant Runoff Voting (Ranked Choice Voting)
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Instant Runoff Voting
(Ranked Choice Voting)
Presented By:
Rob Richie, Executive Director
The Center for Voting and Democracy
(The Center is a non-profit, non-partisan organization in
Maryland. Its chairman is former Congressman John
Anderson, who lives and votes in Fort Lauderdale)
Website: www.fairvote.org/irv
Summary of Presentation
1. History of Instant Runoff Voting (IRV)
2.IRV: What, How, Why (from presentation by
Vermont Secretary of State to N.A.S.S.)
3. Addressing Concerns
4. Contrasting Runoffs and IRV in Florida
5. Recommendations for Legislative Action
Brief History of Instant Runoff Voting
• An American invention in 1870
• Early use, including in Florida
• International: Australia, Ireland, London
• Non-governmental organizations and
Robert’s Rules of Order
• Rising interest in the United States: San
Francisco, Utah, Louisiana
Plurality Rules
But majority
prefer A over B
Winner
Winner
Secretary of the State of Vermont: Deborah L. Markowitz
Second-Election Runoffs
If no candidate receives a majority, all candidates
but the top two are eliminated. A second “runoff”
election is conducted between the finalists.
Advantages
• Assures majority winner in second election
Problems
• Added taxpayer expense for second election
• Added candidate expense for runoff
• Often lower voter turnout for runoff
• Can be difficult to administer
• Potential compromise candidate could be
eliminated after first round in big field
What Is Instant Runoff
Voting (IRV)?
• Method of voting that requires a
majority to elect a candidate
• Determines a majority winner through
instant runoffs using voter preferences
until one candidate has a majority
• Cheaper and more efficient than second
elections because voters go to the polls
only once
How IRV Works
Voters Vote Their Declare a
Preferences winner
Yes
Tally All Ballots Is there a
majority
winner?
No
Retally
Ballots No
majority
Eliminate lowest
candidate
IRV - Typical Ballot
The voter is presented with a list of all
candidates and given option of specifying
his or her order of choice for candidates.
The voter may indicate just one choice, or
more than one choice.
Ballot for Office
IRV- Proposed
Vermont Ballot
This ballot has been
tentatively approved by
my elections office for
use if Vermont passes its
pending IRV bill.
IRV vs. Runoffs: Step #1
Delayed Runoff Instant Runoff
Voters go to the polls Voters go to the polls
and mark their favorite and mark their favorite
candidate on the ballot. candidate as their #1
choice. They also can
indicate runoff choices
by ranking candidates.
IRV vs. Runoffs: Step #2
Delayed Runoff Instant Runoff
If no candidate receives If no candidate receives
a majority, a second a majority, the instant
election is called. runoff ballot count
takes place.
IRV vs. Runoffs: Step #3
Delayed Runoff Instant Runoff
Candidates resume Skip step 3.
raising money and
campaigning. New
ballots are printed and
polling stations set up
again. Voter turnout
usually drops.
IRV vs. Runoffs: Step #4
Delayed Runoff Instant Runoff
If your favorite candidate If your favorite candidate
advances to runoff, you advances to runoff
mark a new ballot for this count, your ballot counts for
candidate. If your favorite is this candidate again. If your
eliminated, you mark a favorite eliminated, ballot
ballot for your next choice counts for next choice
among runoff candidates. among runoff candidates.
IRV vs. Runoffs: Step #5
Delayed Runoff Instant Runoff
The candidate with the The candidate with the
majority of the votes (of majority of the votes
those voting in runoff wins.
election) wins.
IRV vs. Runoffs: Summary
Delayed Runoff Instant Runoff
• Requires tax dollars • Saves tax dollars
• Extends campaign • One election, not two
• Inconvenient for • More convenient for
voters / administrators voters / administrators
• Lower turnout in • Maximizes turnout in
decisive elections decisive election
Addressing Concerns: Voters and
Administrators Can Handle IRV
• Low voter error rate where IRV used
• Voter education timely with 2004 elections
• Voting equipment vendors are telling
jurisdictions they can support IRV
• One-time costs for transition to IRV still
less expensive than one year of runoffs
Runoffs in Florida: A Few Facts
• Winners in multi-candidate state primaries are
very likely to win the general election
• Multi-candidate primaries are not unusual
• With runoffs, frontrunning candidates after the
first primary will sometimes lose
• Voter turnout almost always drops significantly in
down-ballot races that go to runoffs
Runoff Election Winners in the Florida
Legislative General Election 1998-2002*
25 22
20 17
Number of 15 Gen Election Wins
Results 10 7
6
5 2 General Election
0 Defeats
0
1998 2000 2002
Year
* In 2002, non-majority winners in primaries
Contested Primary Races for Florida
Legislature Requiring Runoffs 1998-2002*
(30%)
30%
22%
25%
Percent of 20% 14%
Contested 15%
Primaries 10%
5%
0%
1998 2000 2002
Year
Number of Races that went to a Runoff:
1998 – 9 2000 – 22 2002 – 23*
* In 2002, indicates number of plurality winners in primary
Contested Florida Federal and Statewide
Primaries Requiring Runoffs 1982-2000
44.40%
45.00% 38.40%
40.00%
% of 35.00% 28.50%
30.00% 27.30%
Contested 22.20% 21.40%
25.00%
Primaries
20.00%
Requiring 11.10%
15.00%
Runoff
10.00%
5.00%
0.00%
1982 1986 1990 1994 1998
Year
Average Turnout Decline in Federal and
Statewide Runoffs 1982-2000
61%
70%
(1)
60% 47%
(2) 43%
50% (5)
34%
Percent 40% (5)
24% 25% 26% 25%
Turnout 21%
(1) 18% (6) (4) (1)
Decline 30% (6) (4)
20%
10%
0%
1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000
Year
Average Voter Turnout Decline in National
Federal Runoff Elections 1994-2002
48%
(8)
50.00% 36%
32%
40.00% 27% (31)
(12)
(19) 23%
Percent 30.00% (13)
Turnout
Decline 20.00%
10.00%
0.00%
1994 1996 1998 2000 2002
Year
Multi-Candidate Primaries for
Individual Florida Voters: 2000
Democratic Primary Republican Primary
US Senate / Sen. 33 / Rep. 22 US House 8 / Rep. 25
/ Rep. 8 US House 8 / Rep 34
/ Rep. 9 US House 8 / Rep. 40
/ Rep. 10 Sen. 13 / Rep 54
/ Rep. 39 Sen. 13 / Rep 60
/ Rep. 84 Sen. 13 / Rep 69
/ Rep. 87 Sen. 27 / Rep 74
/ Rep. 88 Sen. 27 / Rep 82
/ Rep. 89 Sen. 27 / Rep 83
/ Rep. 94 Sen. 39 / Rep. 117
/ Rep. 106
____________________
/ Rep. 109
____ = Decided in Runoff
/ Rep. 118
Suggestions for Legislative Action
• Adopt instant runoff voting for 2004 primaries
• Adopt instant runoff voting for 2004 federal primaries
• Adopt instant runoff voting for special elections to fill
vacancies that otherwise require two voting rounds
• Establish study commission to evaluate instant runoff
voting for 2006 primaries
• Adopt legislation, if needed, to facilitate counties using
instant runoff voting
• Adopt legislation to implement instant runoff voting for
overseas voters in federal, state or local runoffs
For More Information
The Center for Voting and Democracy
6930 Carroll Avenue, Suite 610
Takoma Park, MD 20912
(301) 270-4161 www.fairvote.org/irv
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