Lynne Serpe: All Publications, Events and Press

Los Angeles Times Quotes Lynne Serpe on Instant Runoff Voting

Communications — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 09:51:00 -0400

New America in the News:

This Wednesday's [Los Angeles City Council's Rules and Elections Committee] meeting may be different because the committee is going to discuss instant runoff voting. If you're tired of the endless electioneering in the city, this is a good thing...

As attentive readers may recall, this column believes that perpetually low turnout in city elections is due, in part, to the city's insistence on holding elections in March of odd-numbered years. Any wonder that turnout in this year's election was just 11% and even lower during the May runoffs?

That means city elections follow directly on the heels of far sexier general elections in November of even-numbered years. The result: Election season feels like hockey season. It never ends...

The New America Foundation, which is pushing the proposal in cities across the country, says Los Angeles could save money with instant runoffs, having spent $30.9 million to administer separate runoff elections since 1993.

That's not to mention all the fundraising and campaign promises — not all well thought out — that accompany runoffs.

More important, the foundation says that candidates vying to be someone's second or third choice would stick to the issues more closely — and sometimes even build coalitions around issues.

"Local elections are some of the most important in terms of having an impact on your daily life," said Lynne Serpe, deputy director of the foundation's political reform program. "I think that elections have become so negative and nasty that people tune out and turn off..."

For the complete article, please visit the Los Angeles Times website.

No Way to Run an Election

Articles — Thu, 17 May 2007 10:46:00 -0400

The sound of hissing air leaking out of Los Angeles democracy is unmistakable. A check-in at one precinct by 2:00 p.m. on election day revealed that only two voters out of the 1,073 registered in that precinct had turned out to vote. By the close of the polls, it was up to four. This makes the 10% overall turnout in the March 6 elections -- already the lowest in decades -- look like a democratic flood.

Each of the 122,436 ballots cast Tuesday, out of nearly 2 million registered voters, cost taxpayers more than $40 -- an expensive ticket to a… more

California Event: Alternative Voting Systems

Communications — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 04:00:00 -0400

A New America Event
04/26/2007 - 7:00pm

The Alternative Voting Systems forum will look at a range of voting system methods, including the current numbered seat system used by Pasadena Unified School District as well as the geographic districts used by Pasadena City Council. Speakers will present information about alternatives such as instant runoff voting and choice voting, systems which allow voters to rank their candidates in order of preference (1,2,3). Attendees are encouraged to fill out and bring a copy of The Pasadena Weekly's clip-out IRV ballot. During the session, the audience will have the opportunity to participate in a mock election using the ballot which will be counted in front of interested observers.

To learn more about Instant Runoff Voting, please click here.

For more information, or to RSVP, please contact Lynne Serpe at (213) 480-0994 or serpe@newamerica.net.

This event is co-sponsored with the League of Women Voters Pasadena Area, Common Cause, Invest in PUSD Kids and the Pasadena Weekly.

Instant Runoff Voting for the City of Los Angeles

Political Reform — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 14:15:00 -0400

Overview

The City of Los Angeles currently uses a two-round runoff system to elect its mayor, city attorney, city council and controller. One election is held in early March, and if no candidate wins a majority of the vote, a second election between the top two finishers is held in May. Voter participation is usually low, with only 10 percent of registered voters participating in the March 6, 2007 election. In addition, LA taxpayers pay millions of dollars for administering the second election. Candidates also must raise funds for a second election, undermining campaign finance reform.

Instant… more

Deliberative Democracy in California

Communications — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 12:00:00 -0500

A New America Event
02/23/2007 - 12:00pm

The conference, which was co-sponsored by the New America Foundation and CommonSense California, explored the emerging field of deliberative democracy, which uses tools such as citizen dialogues, deliberative polling and citizen's assemblies to engage regular citizens in policy issues. Deliberative democracy methods seek to break through partisan gridlock, overcome special interest domination, and rekindle a sense of civic ownership in the conduct of government.

The conference brought together leading policy makers and opinion leaders, provided a space to meet with experts in this field and to learn more about the various methods.

Election Proves New Voting Method to Improve Democracy Is Catching On

Communications — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 04:31:00 -0500

(SACRAMENTO, CA) -- Instant Runoff Voting (IRV), a signature idea from the New America Foundation to give voters more influence and more choices in elections, continued to gain favor in California and elsewhere as four cities strongly approved November 7 ballot measures supporting the idea.

In California, where San Francisco became the state's first Instant Runoff Voting city in 2004, voters in the cities of Oakland and Davis approved the idea, which would allow voters to rank their first, second, and third choices for office. Oakland overwhelmingly supported the measure by 68% of the returns, meaning voters will use Instant Runoff… more

PowerPoint on IRV for San Diego Elections Task Force

Political Reform — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 21:28:00 -0400

A Solution For Too Many Elections in San Diego

Articles — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 16:20:02 -0400

The conviction of Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham over serious ethics violations has left a bad taste in many voters' mouths. Now taxpayers are about to waste scarce tax dollars on an election to fill the vacancy.

Because none of the 18 candidates in April's special election received more than 50 percent of the votes cast, North County voters must trudge to the polls a second time for a June 6 runoff election to determine the winner -- who will serve less than six months.

San Diegans are tired of elections. By November, voters will have endured 10… more