CA EVENT: Instant Runoff Voting (San Jose)

On June 11th, 2009, San Joses city leaders joined election experts for a discussion on instant runoff voting. Currently, in order to be elected to office in San Jose, a candidate must secure a majority of the votes cast. Sounds simple enough, but if no candidate receives a majority in the initial election, then a runoff election is held in which the top candidates must compete again. This process is lengthy, results in low voter turnout, and can cost $500,000 per election.

City councilmembers Sam Liccardo and Ash Kalra joined Steve Chessin of Californians for Electoral Reform, and Ellen Wheeler of The League of Women Voters, for a panel discussion about using instant runoff voting in San Jose, moderated by Terry Christensen from San Jose State University's political science department.

Councilmember Liccardo noted how using Instant Runoff Voting combines two elections into one and therefore makes it more likely that citizens will be willing to run for local offices. Having to mount two separate campaigns is an expensive and time-consuming proposition and “is simply not an option for a lot of candidates,” said Liccardo, “particularly those with children and jobs who need to be working more to support their families.”

The event was jointly sponsored by the New America Foundation and Common Cause.

See map: Google Maps

Participants

Sam Liccardo
Councilmember, San Jose City Council (District 3)

Steve Chessin
President, Californians for Electoral Reform

Ash Kalra
Councilmember, San Jose City Council (District 2)

Ellen Wheeler
Member, League of Women Voters Los Altos-Mountain View

Moderated by
Terry Christensen
Professor of Political Science, San Jose State University

Related Links

• Policy Paper: Instant Runoff Voting for the City of San Jose