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