Instant runoff voting on a remarkable roll of new support and attention
The 2008 election included a remarkable feature: all the candidates for president backed instant runoff voting. In its wake, support for "IRV" (also called "ranked choice voting") keeps growing. There have been a terrific series of commentaries and editorials in Minnesota and Georgia, where IRV would have protected majority rule in key Senate races, and insightful new commentaries from New America Foundation staff in the Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle. Three impressive new reports from the Brookings Institution, Presbyterian Church and Strengthening Democracy coalition tout instant runoff voting.
In this year's elections, IRV was directly responsible for the election of the first woman county executive in Washington State history, with Pat McCarthy overcoming a deficit of 9% in first choices due to greater appeal among supporters of eliminated candidates, and the biggest spenders all lost in San Francisco's four most contested IRV races because money has less impact when voters have more choices and candidates more incentive to build coalitions.
Reports supporting IRV from Brookings, Presbyterian Church, and Strengthening Democracy
New pro-IRV opeds in San Francisco Chronicle and Los Angeles Times
FairVote chair Krist Novoselic testifies about IRV in Washington State
Former U.S. Sen. David Durenberger (R) and David Morris support IRV
Georgia: Athens paper supports IRV, Atlanta Journal Constitution commentary
Examples of more Minnesota commentary from Duluth, St. Paul, and Minneapolis