Former instant runoff program director takes state legislative seat

by Rob Richie // Published November 4, 2008
Diane Marie Russell-Natera ran our program on instant runoff voting last year, organizing a terrific workshop for activists from around the country and doing a remarkable job with local reformers in Sarasota, Florida in their dominant 78% victory in an instant runoff voting ballot measure. She headed back to Maine to run for office and indeed it looks like she's won Maine's 120th house district, taking 46% in a hotly contested three candidate race in which a Green Party candidate won 34% and a Republican won 20%.

Other state legislators up for re-election have strong FairVote ties, including former Presidential Elections Reform program director Chris Pearson (Vermont) and analyst David Segal (Rhode Island).