It all comes down to the vote…

Ranked-Choice-Choice Voting In Eureka

Hosted by…

Mike Jones, Chris Kerrigan,And the Voter Confidence

Committee

“[Power should be] immediately derived from the people in proportion to their numbers.” -James Madison

“[The representative assembly] should be in miniature an exact portrait of the people. It should be an equal representation, or, in other words, equal interests among the people should have equal interests in it. Great care should be taken to effect this.”

- John Adams

Goals for Tonight’s Forum:• Demonstrate that instant runoff

voting (also called “preferential voting” and “ranked choice voting”) is a better system for voters and candidates.

• Demonstrate why a portion of all individuals’ and organizations’ time would be well-spent furthering voter confidence as a Secondary Mission.

Disclaimer

• We’re not implying dissatisfaction with current elected officials.

• RCV will not solve all election issues.– But it’s a great way to start!

Terminology• Ward – a section of the city

represented by a particular city council member.

• At-large Voting – where everyone in the city votes for the candidates in every ward, regardless of whether the voter resides in that ward.

• Plurality – The candidate with the most votes wins.

• Majority – 50%+1 of the votes.

Terminology

•Ranked-Choice Voting–Allows the voter to rank candidates in order of preference.

Ranked-Choice Voting Will Ensure That:• No fear of “wasting” a vote on a

likely loser.• No vote spoils an election.• All winners are elected with a

majority.• Voting focuses on the issues.• Voters can vote for the

candidates they like, without helping elect the candidates they don’t.

Voting is Important Because:•It is the primary

connection between those of us who choose to participate in our democracy and the government that defines the policy within which we all work and live.

A Voting System Should:•Accurately reflect the values, wants, and needs of the voting populace.

•Elect candidates that represent the values of the majority of the voting populace.

A Voting System Should Also:•allow the voter to

express clearly their opinions of all candidates.

Does plurality…1. allow the voter to express clearly their opinions of all candidates?

Does plurality…2. accurately reflect the values,

wants, and needs of the voting populace?

Does plurality…3. elect candidates that represent

the values of the majority of the voting populace?

How does it work?

How Ranked-Choice Voting Works

1. Voters rank the candidates in order of preference.

How Ranked-Choice Voting Works

2. First-choices are tallied.

How Ranked-Choice Voting Works

If no majority winner, it’s run-off time…

(but without the extra election).

How Ranked-Choice Voting Works

3. Candidate with fewest number of votes is

dropped.4. That candidate’s votes

are redistributed to the remaining candidates.

5. Repeat process until there is a majority winner.

From the Voter’s Perspective

If your first choice candidate is eliminated, then your second choice

is looked at…

…until a candidate reaches a majority.

Interactive Demonstration

The Ice-Cream

Demo

Sample Mayoral Election

Candidates:AnnieBob

CarolDuane

Sample Mayoral Election

1.Voters vote by ranking the candidates.

2.First-choices are tallied.

Sample Election - Initial Vote Count• First Choices

20 40 25 15

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Initial Count

Bob Carol Annie Duane

First Run-off

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

1st Run-off

Bob Carol Annie

15

2 2 11

•Second Choices

22 42 36

Second (and final) Run-off

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

2nd Run-off

Carol Annie

22

2 20

•Next-ranking choices

44 56

Which is a Majority

Annie wins with 56% of the vote.

A majority

In Summary

44 56

22 42 36

20 40 25 15

0% 50% 100%

InitialCount

1st Run-off

2nd Run-off

Bob Carol Annie Duane

How do the voters feel?

What about mayor-elect Annie?

Local Example:Last Mayoral Election Under PluralityCandidate LaVallee: 38.65%

What about the other 61%?

We don’t really know…

Under Ranked-Choice Voting

Had Mayor LaVallee won under RCV….

He would have won…

with a with a majority.majority.

Everyone is happy.

Does RCV have a track record?

Does Ranked-Choice Voting have a track record?

Ranked-Choice Voting - Internationally•Australia (Parliament)•Ireland (President)•London, England (Mayor)

Ranked Voting - Nationally

•Cambridge, MA (C.C.)•Ferndale, MI (mayor & C.C.)•Arkansas (military overseas absentee)•Louisiana (overseas absentee)•Burlington, VT (mayor

Ranked Voting - Organizations•Major-League Baseball

–MVP and Cy Young Awards•College Football

–Heisman Trophy•Academy Awards•Utah Republican Party•American Political Science Association

Ranked-Choice Voting – California

• San Francisco Board of Supervisors

• Oakland (option for vacancy elections)

• Berkeley (when equipment ready for IRV elections)

• Santa Clara County (option established by voters)

Ranked-Choice Voting – Locally

•College of the Redwoods – Academic Senate

Summary of Benefits for Voters

• Lets the voter be explicitly clear.

• Voters need not worry about wasting their vote or spoiling an election.

• Voters know that the winner was elected with a majority.

• It’s as easy as “1, 2, 3.”

Summary of Benefits for Candidates• It gives them the opportunity to get

votes of opponents’ enthusiastic supporters.

• By encouraging candidates to reach out to their opponents’ supporters, it discourages negative campaigning.– This saves energy and money, and

ensures that campaigns focus on the issues.

• Winners know they have the mandate of demonstrated majority support.

Summary of Benefits for the System• No expensive run-off or primary

elections, which always have poor voter turnout.

• Local government can save money in terms of campaign finance.

• Voter confidence increases and therefore voter turnout increases.

• Ideas are allowed to compete freely and fairly.

Summary of Benefits for the System

Improves democracy

What’s After the Presentation?

• Open discussion on RCV facilitated by Council Members Chris Kerrigan and Mike Jones.

• Open discussion on any other election reform issues attendees wish to discuss.

• Present the winners of the Cartoon Election.

What can you, the voter, do?• Encourage any organizations

you belong to to use Ranked-Choice Voting for internal elections.

• Encourage them to take on voter confidence as a Secondary Mission, regardless of their Primary Mission.

What else?• Get involved! Spend a little

time each week supporting Ranked-Choice Voting and voter confidence.– What’s the least you can do? Do

it!– Tell local elected officials you

support voter confidence.– Contact the Voter Confidence

Committee for more ideas.

After all

It all comes down to the vote

After all…

From Chris, Mike, and the Voter Confidence Committee…

Thank you so much for your time!

Contact Information

voterconfidencecommittee.org