L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce Endorses Key Election Reform

Contact: Mr. Gautam Dutta, Esq. (213.480.0994; dutta@newamerica.net)

Los Angeles CA -- The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce has endorsed a critical election reform:  Instant Runoff Voting (IRV).  Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles, and key labor unions like UNITE HERE have also endorsed IRV.

"Instant Runoff Voting will create more competitive races, increase voter participation and eliminate costly runoff elections," said Gary Toebben, President & CEO, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. "The L.A. Area Chamber strongly urges the City Council and Mayor Villaraigosa to put IRV on the ballot this November."

Last year, barely 6 percent of registered voters cast a ballot for the May runoff election (Los Angeles Community College District).  That election alone cost taxpayers $5.5 million - over $40 per voter.

By allowing voters to rank their choices (1-2-3), IRV will eliminate the need for costly runoff elections.  In this manner, IRV will help solve two chronic problems that plague Los Angeles voters and taxpayers:  voter fatigue and wasteful, expensive runoff elections. 

Currently, if no candidate receives a majority (50 percent plus one) in the first round, a runoff election is required for the elected offices of the City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Unified School District, and Los Angeles Community College District.

"We're absolutely delighted the L.A. Area Chamber has endorsed IRV," said Gautam Dutta, Deputy Director of New America Foundation's Political Reform Program. "Because it will lower costs and improve our democracy, IRV has won deep support from a broad cross section of Los Angeles," he added.

The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce is the largest and most influential business association in Southern California. The Chamber represents over 1,600 member-businesses that employ more than 722,430 employees.

According to the Los Angeles City Clerk, IRV will save taxpayers $8 to $9 million each election cycle. Moreover, by reducing the number of elections, IRV will reduce voter fatigue which can contribute to low voter turnout.  Voters must approve a City Charter amendment to adopt IRV for local runoff elections. IRV has already been adopted by a growing number of cities, including Oakland, Minneapolis, Santa Fe, and San Francisco.  In San Francisco, IRV has been used in four elections since 2004.  One study found that IRV boosted voter turnout by 168 percent in the November 2005 election.  Across the ocean, London uses IRV to elect its Mayor, while Ireland has used IRV to elect its President since 1938.  More details about IRV are available at IRVinLA.org.

IRV has also been endorsed by the Chamber's Past Chair Charlie Woo, who is CEO of Megatoys and Chair of the Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment (CAUSE).

In addition, IRV has won the support of a broad base of elected and civic leaders, including:  United Farm Workers Union Co-Founder Dolores Huerta; Liza White, President, League of Women Voters of Los Angeles; Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti; Los Angeles City Councilmembers Wendy Greuel, Jose Huizar, Bill Rosendahl and Ed Reyes; Los Angeles Controller Laura Chick; former Los Angeles Councilmembers Richard Alatorre and Jackie Goldberg; California Board of Equalization Chair Judy Chu; California State Senators Mark Ridley-Thomas and Jack Scott; Los Angeles Community College District President Sylvia Scott-Hayes; Los Angeles Community College Trustees Georgia Mercer, Mona Field and Nancy Pearlman; Mark Drummond, Chancellor, Los Angeles Community College District; John Emerson,* President, Capital Guardian Trust Company, Personal Investment Management; William C. Velasquez Institute President Antonio Gonzalez; Anthony Thigpenn, President, SCOPE; Holly Fujie,* Governor, State Bar of California; Kathay Feng, Executive Director, California Common Cause.  (An asterisk indicates that an individual's affiliation is for identification purposes only.)

Organizations that support IRV include:  League of Women Voters of Los Angeles, Southwest Voters Registration Education Project, National Latino Congreso, Asian American Action Fund, African American Voter Registration Education Project, UNITE HERE (Local 11), AFT College Faculty Guild (1521), AFT College Staff Guild (1521A), Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education (SCOPE), California Common Cause, American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, San Fernando Valley Alliance for Democracy.  A full endorser list is available at IRVinLA.org/endorsements. On June 2, 2008,

New America Foundation will host its IRV in LA Luncheon at Los Angeles City Hall. The Luncheon will provide an opportunity to learn more about IRV and its promise. For more details contact Gautam Dutta, Esq. (contact info at top).

About the New America Foundation:
The New America Foundation is an independent, nonprofit public policy institute whose purpose is to bring exceptionally promising new voices and new ideas to the fore of our nation's public discourse. Relying on a venture capital approach, the Foundation invests in outstanding individuals and policy solutions that transcend the conventional political spectrum. New America is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and also has offices in California.

Learn More About: Gautam Dutta, Steven Hill
Related Programs: New America in California, Instant Runoff Voting, Political Reform Program
Topics: Political Reform