NC Coalition For Verified Voting

NC Coalition For Verified Voting, Joyce McCloy, Founder

Instant Runoff Voting – Costs and Effects on Voters and Voting

Studying the value and risks of Instant Runoff Voting

We caution organizations that are in rush and a hurry to implement IRV or other type voting methods that are unknown quantities to remember the lesson of HAVA. That was rushed through as well and we've seen what happened as a result.

This information is provided as part of an encompassing research on voting integrity.

Advocates of Instant Runoff voting claim that IRV saves counties money by preventing the need for costly runoff elections; that it empowers third parties; that it will prevent the “spoiler” effect; and that it is fairer to voters.

Critics of Instant Runoff Voting say that it negatively impacts election integrity, increases costs and labor for elections, audits and recounts, making them more onerous, does not meet its political promise, doesn't help third parties, does not allow voters 2nd chance to elect their preferred candidate, and does nothing about the problem of ballot access for third parties.

Find out what actual election officials and political consultants say about IRV as employed in their jurisdiction. Find out what IRV is. Learn why IRV was rejected in by the city councils of Raleigh and Rocky Mount North Carolina. Find out why nationally recognized statistician Kathy Dopp warns that IRV will impair election integrity, or why Chuck Herrin, IT Certification specialist and White Hat Hacker says that IRV is not logistically viable and introduces too much complexity to our election process... Find out whether IRV really does improve elections and save money….

On April 3, 2007 in the Raleigh City Council chambers, 6 out of the 8 council members expressed concerns about Instant Run-off Voting (aka Ranked Choice Voting). There was obviously no support for bringing IRV to Raleigh for the upcoming City of Raleigh elections. The motion was tabled meaning that no action would be taken to implement IRV.

Below are transcripts of the meeting that I prepared from the video of the meeting.

Council member Dr. James P. West: “I indicated that I have some concerns about this especially in that it disenfranchises certain segments of voters…especially those of lower socio economic level…”

Council member Philip Isley: “I'm not going to support it. It feels to me to be a little un-American frankly…I think it's odd enough to have odd year elections, but to throw in this monkey wrench into that election cycle in my mind, may actually decrease how many people come out to vote...”

Council member Thomas Crowder: “Just like blackjack in Las Vegas, we are going to see a lot of game-men's-ship trying figure out the odds on putting people into office…”

Council member Joyce Kekas: “I think it's un-American, I will vote against it.”

Council member Tommy Craven: “To me this is something that would certainly serve the convenience of the board of elections… but it's certainly not in the best interest of the voting public.”

Please visit www.ncvoter.net for more information.