Laserfiche WebLink
Frequently Aslced Questions About IRV <br />Page 3 of 3 <br />acquiring equipment that can handle IRV. <br />Why don't more places use IRV? Prior to the advent of modern vote <br />counting equipment, IRV required a time-consuming and costly hand <br />count. Some jurisdictionsthat used IRV in statewideprimaries found <br />that they rarely had plurality (less than maj ority) winners, so IRV <br />seemed unnecessary. With today's diversity and proliferation of parties <br />and candidates, low plurality winners are more common, and hand <br />counts are unnecessary. <br />Who opposes IRV? Little organized opposition to IRV exists. <br />Election officials are understandably cautious about a system that may <br />increase their worlcload, and some incumbents fear any change to the <br />system that elected them. If you can win an election under a plurality <br />or runoff system, however, the odds are that you would also win under <br />IRV. The exceptions are rare but can be important. Examples include <br />several recent House races in New Mexico, where Green Party <br />candidates threw races to Republicans, and state legislative races in <br />Alaslca in which Libertarians and Alaslcan Independent Party <br />candidates lcnociced off Republicans. <br />Some political minorities may believe that they can only win <br />representation in a plurality election. Such groups may oppose IRV, <br />but of course, in such situations, a larger groups stands to gain <br />representation by IRV. <br />What is Instant Runoff Voting (IRV:�' <br />Advances for IRV <br />The Case for IRV <br />National To�ics <br />In the States <br />IRV vs Runoff <br />Media Covera�e <br />Editorial Su�port of IRV <br />Get Involved <br />Frequently Asked Questions <br />Election Administration and Statutorv Lan�uage <br />Links <br />A <br />TOP <br />Copyright � 1999 Th� Center for Voting and Democracy <br />6930 CarrollAve. Suite 901 TakomaPark, MD 20912 <br />(301) 270-4616 cvdusa e,aol.com <br />ht��r; �r u���, �a�rwatc_or��i r�rr fa�.h�m 1 r���{F(� <br />