A bright spot on the November 2 elections: IRV shines in San Francisco

[Selatius]

Ending the Spoiler Effect



By Steven Hill and Rob Richie

...

San Francisco will use IRV in future years for citywide offices like mayor and district attorney, joining the ranks of Ireland, Australia and London that use IRV to elect their highest offices. IRV simulates a series of runoff elections but finishes the job in a single election.

Voters rank candidates for each race in order of choice: first, second, third. If your first choice gets eliminated from the “instant runoff,” your vote goes to your second-ranked candidate as your backup choice.

The runoff rankings are used to determine which candidate has support from a popular majority, and accomplish this in a single election.

Voters are liberated to vote for the candidates they really like, no more spoiler candidates and “lesser of two evils” dilemmas.

Previously San Francisco decided majority winners in a December runoff election. Runoffs were expensive, costing the City more than $3 million citywide, and voter turnout often plummeted in the December election by as much as 50 percent. So San Francisco taxpayers will save millions of dollars by using IRV, and winners now are determined in the November election when voter turnout tends to be highest. Also, candidates didn’t need to raise more money for a second election and independent expenditures declined, significantly improving the campaign finance situation.

Full article found here.

[davidinalameda]

1. IRV was great

it took a little bit longer to declare winners but it was much better than having to wait for another elecion in December

[Mojambo]

2. I'm in love with IRV

If we could ever get it for federal offices, it would change everything.

[Selatius]

5. No doubt

If you were forced to choose between a Repub and a Dem who acts like a Repub-lite, you're up the river without a paddle, but with IRV, you could vote for the Green guy, and no one could rail and ridicule you for splitting the vote and helping to defeat the Dem because IRV doesn't go batshit with more than two candidates unlike the Electoral College or the winner-take-all electoral laws for federal office.

[Downtown Hound]

3. IRV is the way to go

It is the fairest system there is. No one has their voice completely drowned out, and everyone has a say.

[BlueEyedSon]

4. FYI: In Australia they call it "Preferential Voting"

Sounds a little more user friendly, no?