1. Instant Runoff Voting Written By: Chris Gates Pam Wilmot, Common Cause MA Edited By: Michael Bleiweiss, Common Cause MA Ranked Choice Voting for Single-Winner Races

2. What Is Instant Runoff Voting? A method of voting that requires a majority to elect a candidate Voters rank candidates in order of preference Determines a majority winner by conducting instant runoffs using voter preferences until one candidate has a majority Cheaper and more efficient than second elections

3. An election reform that is starting to catch on. Instant Runoff Voting... Has been used in Australia for 80 years and in Ireland for more than a decade. Has is currently used in San Francisco, CA and Burlington, VT elections. Has been approved by voters in places ranging from Ferndale, MI; Takoma Park, MD; and Berkeley, CA. Has been introduced as bills in over a dozen state legislatures

4. Plurality Elections Whichever candidate gets the most votes wins. Most U.S. elections use plurality rules. Advantages No runoff is ever needed Problems The majority choice is often not elected More than two choices means “spoilers” or incentives for less voter choice.

5. Plurality: Two Candidates Winner Candidate A 55% Candidate B 45% Loser

6. Plurality: Three Candidates Winner But majority prefer A over B Siphons-off more votes from A than B

7. What Happened? If Candidate A were running against Candidate B, A would win by 10% -- 55% to 45% Add Candidate C to the mix, with similar views to Candidate A. B now wins by 7%-- even though she would have lost in a head to head race. Democracy Loses.

8. How IRV Works Declare a winner Yes No majority No Eliminate lowest candidate Re-tally ballots Is there a majority winner? Tally all ballots Voters vote their preferences

9. Demonstration of IRV

10. Voters Mark Their Ballots

11. Votes are recorded

12. First round results

13. One candidate gets a majority

14. No candidate gets a majority

15. Re-distribute votes

18. Second Round Results

19. Still No Majority: Re-distribute votes again

20. Re-distribute votes again

22. Final results

23. Final Concerns Too complicated for voters Reality: Experience shows voters use IRV without difficulty Creates headaches for election administration Reality: No burden on local election officials Voting equipment cannot handle the ballots Reality: Modern equipment can handle it

24. IRV Reality Instant runoff voting can determine a majority winner in a single election, which: saves money eliminates hassle maximizes voter turnout allows for the possibility of a compromise candidate Instant runoff voting: restores majority rule eliminates the spoiler problem may reduce mud-slinging campaigns In states that already use runoff elections In states that now use plurality elections