August 29, 2006 07:07 PM UTC

Ken Gordon Supports Instant Runoff Voting?

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• by: cdsmith

( – promoted by Colorado Pols)

Ken Gordon sent out an email today to campaing supporters, which contained a supportive comment about instant runoff voting.  It’s interesting to see members of a major political party supporting IRV.  From the email, “There is an election reform proposal called instant runoff voting that I believe has merit… This is a reform that does not have a slant for or against either major party, but it will give voters a choice they don’t currently have…. I believe it will encourage more voter participation, which I strongly favor.”

The full text:

  There is an election reform proposal called instant runoff voting that I believe has merit. Under this proposal, people can rank their top two or three choices and if the first choice does not get over 50%, then the second choice becomes their vote. This would allow people in the Libertarian or Green Party, for instance, to vote for their favorite candidate without concern that they are helping their least favorite candidate. For instance, a Libertarian could vote for the Libertarian candidate first, and the Republican second.  Right now someone who prefers the Libertarian might feel that they have to support the Republican because they are afraid that they would be helping the Democrat by voting for a third party. This is a reform that does not have a slant for or against either major party, but it will give voters a choice they don’t currently have. If it existed nationally in Presidential elections, it might have helped George Bush, the father, in his race against Bill Clinton, because of the Perot factor; and if it had existed in 2000, it might have helped Al Gore against George Bush, the son, because of the Nader factor. Washington and North Carolina have created pilot projects. I believe it will encourage more voter participation, which I strongly favor.