1. 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:

2. 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

3. 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

4. Secretary of the State of Vermont: Deborah L. Markowitz
Plurality Rules
[CLICK] - Pie Chart 1
Most U.S. elections use plurality rules -- whichever candidate gets the most votes wins. Candidate A has 56% and B has 44%, so clearly A should defeat B and be declared elected.
[CLICK] - Candidate A Winner
This works fine and assures that the majority rules… UNLESS there happen to be more than two candidates.
Let’s go back in time and assume the exact same candidates and the same voters, but suppose one more candidate happened to decide to enter the race -- candidate C.
[CLICK] - 2nd pie chart
In this scenario, candidate C is more appealing to voters who would otherwise choose candidate A.
Even though we know a majority of voters prefer A over B, under current plurality rules, B is declared the winner.
[CLICK] - Candidate B Winner
[CLICK] - But majority prefer A over B
The true majority choice (A) is defeated merely because of a decision made by one person (C) to run.
This is a denial of the fundamental cornerstone of democracy - majority rule!
But majority prefer A over B
Winner
Winner
Secretary of the State of Vermont: Deborah L. Markowitz

5. 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
[CLICK] - One solution that is used some places, including in the U.S., is a second runoff election. This method finds a majority winner by holding a second election (if necessary) of the top two candidates from the first round.
There is a substantial cost for the taxpayer and the candidates.
Voter turnout in runoff elections is usually significantly lower. The Center for Voting and Democracy has prepared a report on runoff elections in federal primaries that will show just how dramatic the typical drop-off in turnout is in runoff primaries. From 1994 to 2000, there were 70 federal primary runoffs, and turnout dropped in 68 of them. The average turnout drop in these races was 34%. San Francisco’s last runoff election in December 2000 cost nearly $2 million and had a drop-off in turnout of nearly 50%. Alabama spent some three million dollars on its recent runoff. Turnout in statewide runoffs in North Carolina and Texas in 2000 dropped below 5% of registered voters.
They are Difficult to administer. Getting new ballots printed and running a whole new election involves a lot of administration and headaches.
In a crowded primary race, for example, most of the voters may have picked candidates other than the two top candidates, who may have narrow bases of support.

6. 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
[CLICK] What Is Instant Runoff Voting?
First and foremost, instant runoff voting is a method of voting that ensures the core of democracy - majority rules.
This is done by allowing each voter to specify his or her order of preference for candidates.
The winner is determined through a series of instant runoffs –eliminating candidates at the bottom, either one at a time, or in a group – similar to a regular runoff.
Second elections are used in some places to assures a majority vote, but at a monetary cost. IRV eliminates this problem.
IRV achieves a more efficient and less expensive way of securing the foundation of democracy: majority rules.

7. How IRV Works Declare a winner Voters Vote Their Preferences
Yes
Tally All Ballots
Is there a majority winner?
[CLICK] - Voters Vote Their Preferences
Voters are given the option of ranking candidates in order of preference. A voter can still vote for just one candidate if they don’t like any of the other choices.
[CLICK] - Tally All Ballots
When the ballots are tallied election night, initially only the first choices are counted.
[CLICK] - Declare a winner
If one candidate is the first choice of more than half the voters you have a majority winner.
[CLICK] - No majority
But if no candidate reaches the majority threshold, an instant runoff is conducted. This can be done automatically by modern electronic voting technology or treated as a recount, depending on the particular circumstances in your state.
[CLICK] - Eliminate lowest candidate
In the instant runoff, the candidates at the bottom, with no mathematical chance of winning are eliminated, either sequentially, or in a group.
[CLICK] - Retally Ballots
Just like in a regular runoff, the voters’ whose favorites are out of the running have to settle for their next choice among the finalists. But his is already indicated on their ballot. In each round of counting every ballot counts as one vote for whichever of the remaining candidates is most preferred by each voter. The process of eliminating candidates and retallying the votes is repeated until a majority winner is determined. In this manner the candidate preferred by the majority of voters can be determined with a single election, no matter how many candidates are running. No more spoiler problem.
Instant runoff voting has not been used much in the U.S., but it has been consistently upheld by the courts as a valid voting system that complies with the one person, one vote principle. No
Retally Ballots
No majority
Eliminate lowest candidate

8. 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
In a nutshell, instant runoff voting determines the majority winner in a single election by combining a runoff into the original election.
[CLICK] - Sample Ballot
This is done by use of the innovation of a rank-order ballot, also called the “single transferable vote” --
allowing voters to indicate their favorite candidate and their runoff choices at the same time.
The voter can vote for a single candidate the same as presently.
[CLICK] - Sample Ballot With All Checks
But if she is concerned that her favorite may not make it into the runoff stage, she has the option of also indicating her runoff choices by ranking as many candidates as she wishes.

9. IRV- Proposed Vermont Ballot
This ballot has been
tentatively approved by
my elections office for
use if Vermont passes its
pending IRV bill.
Vermont legislation gives the Secretary of State the authority to limit the number of rankings to three if ballot design for older machines makes that prudent. While limiting a voter’s preferences to three candidates is not ideal, it accomplishes the main thrust of IRV. This is a prime example of incorporating IRV into your state’s election procedure, even without the ideal equipment for it.

10. IRV vs. Runoffs: Step #1 Delayed Runoff Voters go to the polls
and mark their favorite
candidate on the ballot.
Instant Runoff
Voters go to the polls
and mark their favorite
candidate as their #1
choice. They also can
indicate runoff choices
by ranking candidates.

11. IRV vs. Runoffs: Step #2 Delayed Runoff If no candidate receives
a majority, a second
election is called.
Instant Runoff
If no candidate receives
a majority, the instant
runoff ballot count
takes place.

12. IRV vs. Runoffs: Step #3 Delayed Runoff Candidates resume
raising money and
campaigning. New
ballots are printed and
polling stations set up
again. Voter turnout
usually drops.
Instant Runoff
Skip step 3.

13. IRV vs. Runoffs: Step #4 Delayed Runoff If your favorite candidate
advances to runoff, you
mark a new ballot for this
candidate. If your favorite is
eliminated, you mark a
ballot for your next choice
among runoff candidates.
Instant Runoff
If your favorite candidate
advances to runoff
count, your ballot counts for
this candidate again. If your
favorite eliminated, ballot
counts for next choice
among runoff candidates.

14. IRV vs. Runoffs: Step #5 Delayed Runoff The candidate with the
majority of the votes (of
those voting in runoff
election) wins.
Instant Runoff
The candidate with the
majority of the votes
wins.

15. IRV vs. Runoffs: Summary
Instant Runoff
Saves tax dollars
One election, not two
More convenient for voters / administrators
Maximizes turnout in decisive election
Delayed Runoff
Requires tax dollars
Extends campaign
Inconvenient for voters / administrators
Lower turnout in decisive elections

16. 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

17. 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

18. Runoff Election Winners, 1998-2002
* In 2002, non-majority winners in primaries

19. Contested Primary Races Requiring Runoffs, 98-2002
Number of Races that went to a Runoff:
1998 – – – 23*
* In 2002, indicates number of plurality winners in primary

20. Contested Florida and Statewide Primaries Requiring Runoffs, 1982-2000

21. Turnout Decline in FL Federal/Statewide Runoffs, 1982-2000

22. Average Turnout Decline in Federal Runoffs, 1994-2002

23. Multi-Candidate Primaries for Individual Florida Voters: 2000
Democratic Primary
Republican Primary
US Senate / Sen. 33 / Rep. 22
/ Rep. 8
/ Rep. 9
/ Rep. 10
/ Rep. 39
/ Rep. 84
/ Rep. 87
/ Rep. 88
/ Rep. 89
/ Rep. 94
/ Rep. 106
/ Rep. 109
/ Rep. 118
US House 8 / Rep. 25
US House 8 / Rep 34
US House 8 / Rep. 40
Sen. 13 / Rep 54
Sen. 13 / Rep 60
Sen. 13 / Rep 69
Sen. 27 / Rep 74
Sen. 27 / Rep 82
Sen. 27 / Rep 83
Sen. 39 / Rep. 117
____________________
____ = Decided in Runoff

24. 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

25. For More Information The Center for Voting and Democracy
6930 Carroll Avenue, Suite 610
Takoma Park, MD 20912
(301)