Howard Dean votes IRV in Burlington...first ever mayoral IRV election.

[madfloridian]

http://www.blogforamerica.com/archives/007575.html

Howard Dean Votes IRV
"Governor Dean voted yesterday in Burlington, VT's local elections. The ballot was a mix of issues and candidates, with Burlington's Mayoral race taking center stage. We caught up with Governor Dean at his voting station where he cast his ballot in the first ever Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) mayoral election to take place in the United States.


IRV allows voters to choose multiple candidates on the ballot and rank them according to their preference. The first candidate to break 50% wins, otherwise the candidate with the lowest vote total is eliminated and the second choice vote on their ballots is added to the total vote count for the remaining candidates. By elimination, a winner is eventually declared. IRV has many proponents because it allows for a third party to enter the election without facing either party declaring them a "spoiler."

A Progressive candidate won.

[WhiteTara]

1. Great show, that!

If the people of Burlington feel this is successful, then this method will spread and maybe we can come up with a voting system that fits our day.

[Earth_First]

2. See:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=610934&mesg_id=610934

It gives a flash demonstration on how IRV works...