[Fwd: Re: [stv-voting] FW: Minneapolis Council votes 11-1 to put IRV on November ballot]

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Antony Hodgson

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May 28, 2006, 2:53:01 AM5/28/06

to STVF...@yahoogroups.com, Victoria STV

Hi all,

Here's an interesting posting from a US-based STV mailing list
describing a ballot question on Instant Runoff Voting (STV for one seat)
being put to voters in Minneapolis with near-unanimous support from city
council.

Cheers,

Antony Hodgson

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [stv-voting] FW: Minneapolis Council votes 11-1 to put IRV
on November ballot
Date: Sat, 27 May 2006 22:21:36 -0700 (PDT)
From: Brian White <gaiatec...@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: stv-v...@yahoogroups.com
To: stv-v...@yahoogroups.com

I guess it is a start but IRV is just one member
elected from any area, is it not? So, it is not
really a breakthrough. In a homogenous population, a
single party might win every seat in single seat IRV.
The elements of local competition within and between
candidates from the different partys that makes stv so
vibrant would likely not occur.
so, IRV is a tiny step forward, at best.
Brian

--- Tony Solgård <tony.s...@fairvotemn.org> wrote:

> A big victory culminates phase 1 of the campaign in
> Minneapolis.
>
> Tony Solgård, President
> FairVote Minnesota
> PO Box 19440
> Minneapolis MN 55419
> (763) 807-2550
> http://www.fairvotemn.org
> tony.s...@fairvotemn.org
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> Minneapolis Council votes 11-1 to put IRV on
> November ballot
>
> May 26, 2006--Minneapolis, Minnesota
>
> In a bold step forward for democracy, the
> Minneapolis City Council today
> voted to submit to the voters a charter amendment to
> use Instant Runoff
> Voting (Single Transferable Vote) for city
> elections. It will appear as a
> question on the November 7, 2006 ballot. (Go to
> council agenda
>
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/council/2006-meetings/20060526/Council200605
> 26agendax.asp#TopofPage. Scroll down to
> Intergovernmental Relations.)
>
> The nearly unanimous (11-1) vote was unexpected and
> is testimony to the
> depth and breadth of the educational and organizing
> effort of the Better
> Ballot Campaign, backed by a coalition of 40+
> community organizations and
> 40+ elected Minneapolis leaders. A few council
> members, whose support came
> unexpectedly, said that while they still had
> concerns and unanswered
> questions, the strong grassroots expression of
> interest motivated them to
> move the question forward for public debate and a
> decision by the voters.
>
> Several council members (Scott Benson, Cam Gordon,
> Elizabeth Glidden, Ralph
> Remington, Gary Schiff, and Betsy Hodges) sounded
> recurring themes that
> Instant Runoff Voting will be more fair, democratic
> and civil, and will
> increase voter participation in city elections.
> Council Member Don Samuels,
> who represents the city’s 5th Ward, spoke to the
> need to find powerful ways
> to engage the community in civic affairs to stop
> gangs and drugs from taking
> over our communities. He said Instant Runoff Voting
> would help accomplish
> that.
>
> The lone dissenter (Council Member Barb Johnson) did
> not speak in opposition
> to the proposed ranked ballot voting method, but
> rather cited her doubts
> about the proposal's legality and potential costs.
> The campaign has
> presented substantive legal research backing up its
> proposal and addressed
> cost concerns with a clause in the amendment
> allowing the council to delay
> implementation for one cycle if necessary due to
> obstacles such as
> difficulty of acquiring upgraded voting equipment.
>
> Better Ballot Campaign lead organizer Jeanne Massey
> said, “We’re thrilled
> with today’s action by the council and look forward
> to bringing to the
> voters this proposal for improving our democracy.”
>
> For further information, go to
> http://www.betterballotcampaign.org or
> contact in...@betterballotcampaign.org.
>
>
>

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