Instant Runoff Voting

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… more

Choiceless elections. Suspicious voting equipment. Partisan election officials. Superficial political debate. Unresponsive government. Author Steven Hill says that American democracy has been working about as well as the levees around New Orleans. Yet most Americans don’t know what to do about it. Here, finally, is the plan -- 10 Steps to Repair American Democracy.

In his inspiring blueprint for renewing America, Hill makes a stirring call for national election standards, voting equipment overhaul, nonpartisan election officials, a voting day… more

Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) is an election method which gives voters more meaningful choices, reduces campaign spending, and encourages positive and issue-oriented campaigns.  Municipalities and taxpayers like IRV because IRV can eliminate the need for unnecessary and expensive two round runoff elections.

Steven Hill is a political writer and director of the Political Reform Program at the New America Foundation, which seeks to develop the best opportunities for reform, educate opinion leaders and the public about electoral alternatives, and encourage the formation of a broad-based coalition.

Several recent studies show that the introduction of ranked-choice voting in San Francisco is off to a good start. The shift from December runoffs to RCV has saved millions of taxpayer dollars, and voter participation was much higher and more inclusive than would be expected using the old runoff system. The voters themselves, when polled, overwhelmingly preferred RCV to the old December runoff system.

In RCV, voters rank up to three candidates. If no candidate wins a majority of… more

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is right. California needs a government that's less partisan and better reflects the many voices in its diverse population. The disconnect between the government and the governed threatens the state's ability to solve its problems and plan for the future.

But there are better ways for the governor to solve the redistricting problem than allowing retired judges to redraw the boundaries for political districts, as he proposed in his State of the State speech Wednesday. California's single-seat,… more

On March 5 voters in San Francisco helped change American democracy. They gave their approval to Proposition A, which calls for the adoption of new rules for electing the mayor, city attorney, district attorney, Board of Supervisors and other city officials.

The new system, Instant Runoff Voting, may not sound revolutionary. But its widespread adoption, not only at the city level but in state and federal elections, has the potential to change American democracy dramatically, and for the better.… more

In a nation with 100 million likely voters, the result of this year's presidential race may be decided by fewer than a million.

Those are the undecided voters in swing states with lots… more