The Business Perspective: A Vote for Saving Money and Increasing Voter Turnout
Five million dollars and six percent. Five million dollars was
the administrative cost of the May 2007 citywide runoff election. Six
percent was the percentage of registered Angelenos who voted in the May
2007 citywide runoff election. Turnout in some precincts was only one or
two percent. These numbers are depressing and wasteful and signal a need
to change how we conduct our local non-partisan elections.
The city of
Los Angeles currently uses a two-round system to elect its mayor, city
attorney, city council and controller. One election is held in early
March, and if no candidate wins a majority of the votes, a second election
between the top two finishers is held in May.
Instant Runoff Voting
(IRV) would save time and money while opening up the political process to
more voters – and candidates. IRV combines the primary and runoff
elections into one election. Voters cast their ballots by ranking
candidates in their order of preference i.e. first, second and
third.
Just like today, the vote counting begins with
a tabulation of first place votes. If one candidate secures more than 50
percent of first place votes, he or she wins. If no candidate meets that
threshold on the first tabulation, the candidate receiving the lowest
number of first place votes is eliminated. Voters who supported the
eliminated candidate will have their vote automatically shifted to their
second choice in an instant runoff. The process continues until one
candidate has more than 50 percent of the vote.
This process will
eliminate a runoff election and save L.A. city taxpayers millions of
dollars. This is especially important as the city faces a $400 million
budget deficit. IRV will also save money for the candidates and their
supporters who will only have to finance one election rather than
two.
The benefits of IRV are pretty clear. After San
Francisco adopted the system four years ago, voter turnout doubled
citywide. Candidates also cut down on negative campaigning and political
mudslinging because appealing for a second or third place vote became an
important election strategy.
The Los Angeles
Area Chamber of Commerce's Board of Directors voted unanimously on May 8
to endorse IRV. A growing list of other community
organizations and elected officials are also in
support.
The Los Angeles City Council must place an IRV
initiative on the November 2008 ballot in order for voters to use IRV for
the 2009 citywide elections. Join
us in encouraging the mayor and City Council to act quickly to make
this happen. Instant Runoff Voting will save money and increase voter
turnout - a winning combination for all of us.
And
that's The Business Perspective.
Gary L. Toebben
President &
CEO
Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
The Business Perspective is a weekly opinion piece by Gary Toebben, President & CEO of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.
