voter’s interest in ranking more than one candidate. but any changes to our existing Plurality system might September 2004 Ranking all of the candidates is not a theoretical require modifying the Minnesota Constitution and/or these requirement of any system. This process is called statutes. The section on legal issues later in this document preference voting. discusses these statutes. Each of these systems has advocates who are Alternative Voting Systems: actively working for its acceptance, if not in Minnesota, Approval Voting (AV): An Unranked Voting System then in other states or at the national level. This is not a In the Approval Facts and Issues comprehensive list of all voting systems but rather a Voting system, voters are discussion of those with vocal supporters and/or those allowed to vote for as that occur most frequently in academic publications. The many candidates as they League of Women Voters has incorporated the opinions of wish. The candidate supporters and opponents of each alternative voting receiving the greatest total Introduction purpose of this study is to provide background system as well as views from members of various number of votes wins the The 2000 Presidential election challenged information about the most frequently discussed academic disciplines and leaders of Minnesota’s four election. Approval Voting Americans’ complacency about the accuracy and alternative voting systems for reference, discussion, and political parties. was created in Venice in fairness of our voting system as never before. With the debate. The study does not offer solutions or proposals The report does not address presidential the 13th century when the Venetians used it to elect 10 outcome still in doubt three weeks after Election Day, for change, nor does it assume that changing the current elections, the Electoral College, multi-seat elections, members to their Grand Council. the combination of a close race, multiple candidates, system is necessarily desirable. proportional representation, cumulative voting (see Approval Voting did not surface again until the antiquated voting equipment, and confusing recount This study will use the term voting system to Glossary) or other election reform issues such as mid-1970’s, when it was independently proposed by procedures created a perfect storm that left voters across mean a collection of rules and procedures that redistricting, paperless ballots, or campaign finance. several scholars, including Steven J. Brams, professor of the country frustrated and angry. establishes how an election will be conducted. These politics at New York University, who remains its champion While some saw the disputes in Florida as an rules include how the ballots are marked, how the votes Voting Systems to this day. Best known for its use in electing the entertaining diversion, others began to wonder about are tabulated, how many votes are necessary to win, and Secretary-General of the United Nations, Approval Voting their own state’s equipment and procedures, and, for the other election administration procedures. Plurality: An Unranked Voting System is also used to elect officers of professional organizations first time in many years, some started to question Minnesota uses such as the Institute of Management Sciences, the seriously the fundamental structure of a winner-take-all H.F. 1719: Proposed Election Law for Roseville the Plurality system, also Mathematical Association of America, and the American 11 plurality election system. When only two major party “Notwithstanding any contrary provision in Minnesota called First Past the Post, Statistical Association. candidates are on the ballot in an election using the Statutes, the city of Roseville may adopt by ordinance in which each voter Interest in using this system to elect public plurality system, majority rule is not a concern. However, cumulative voting, ranked-order voting, or another chooses a single candi- officials is growing in the United States. An organization when three or more candidates are running, the winner method of voting for municipal elections in 2004 that date, and the candidate called “Americans for Approval Voting” has formed to might not have received a majority of the votes. uses a form of ballot different from that required by with the most votes wins. work for the adoption of Approval Voting for public 12 In fact, eleven of twelve statewide elections in Minnesota Statutes, section 204B.36, subdivision 2.” In races with three or elections in the United States. Minnesota conducted from 1998 through 2002 were This bill passed in the Senate but failed in the House on more candidates, it is possible for a candidate to win with The following example shows how AV might work. decided by less than a majority,1 sparking interest in March 15, 2004.5 fewer than 50% of the votes; in other words, the winner Four professors in a college English Department are trying 6 alternative voting systems that would address this and can be elected by a minority of the voters. Recent to choose a handbook (a text with rules for grammar and other issues. Evidence of this interest includes bills The scope of the study is limited to single-seat examples include Minnesota’s 1998 and 2002 gubernato- punctuation) for their students. They have narrowed the permitting Instant Runoff Voting in local and state Minnesota state and local elections, such as those for rial elections and, at the national level, the presidential choice to three books, which are virtually the same except elections that were introduced in the 2002 and 2003 mayors, state legislators, or governor. It describes our elections of 1992 and 2000. for the titles. They decide to use the Approval Voting Minnesota Legislatures2 and a more narrowly focused bill current election system and four alternative systems— The Plurality system originated in ancient Greece system, so the professors vote for all of the handbooks of that would give the city of Roseville, Minnesota, the Plurality, Approval Voting (AV), Instant Runoff Voting (IRV), and Rome and evolved in England before the American which they approve. The Pocket Handbook of Grammar is option to use alternative voting systems that was Borda Count, and Condorcet—in terms of how the ballots Revolution. Outside the United States, the Plurality the winner. introduced in 2004.3 are marked and how the votes are counted. In addition, system is used in the United Kingdom and other former 7 The proposed election law for Roseville passed in the study presents different issues raised by advocates British colonies, such as Canada and India. Professor Pocket Handbook Great Big Picture Grammar and the Senate but was “resoundingly defeated” in the House for each system. Although the U.S. Constitution sets of Grammar Book of Grammar Videogames on March 15, 2004. Comments after the vote suggest In the Plurality and Approval Voting systems, out a complicated process for electing the that many people are unaware that alternative voting voters do not rank their choices; they simply indicate president via the Electoral College that Angelou YES YES systems exist and are unfamiliar with the steps necessary which candidate or candidates they prefer. In the Instant requires a majority vote of electors, it permits Tan YES YES to adopt one of them.4 Runoff Voting, Borda Count, and Condorcet systems, the states to determine their own election Dickinson YES YES 8 These facts suggest that League members, however, they do rank their choices. This means that they procedures. Minnesota state statutes, Woolf YES YES Legislators, and the public would find information about identify their first choice, their second choice, and so on, therefore, not the U.S. Constitution, dictate Totals 4 3 1 9 alternative voting systems to be a useful resource. The depending on how many candidates are running and the how elections in Minnesota are conducted, 1 2 A reverse form of the Approval Voting system are counted. If a candidate gets 50% + 1 of the votes, he (Brams calls it Disapproval Voting) has been used since or she is declared the winner. If no one has a majority, the Denmark. Instant Runoff Voting, using a 1987 in some Eastern European countries and the former counting goes to round two. The candidate with the preference ballot, was invented by W.R. Region 1st place—3pts 2nd place—2 pts 3rd place—1 pt Total Soviet Union. Voters cross off the names of candidates of lowest number of votes is eliminated. The votes cast for Ware, a professor at Massachusetts Alsace 15 votes = 45 pts 5 votes = 10 pts 10 votes = 10 pts 65 pts 18 whom they disapprove. Brams adds that this procedure the eliminated candidate are then transferred (or moved) Institute of Technology, around 1870.” Bordeaux 5 votes = 15 pts 20 votes = 40 pts 5 votes = 5 pts 60 pts is similar to Approval Voting in that “candidates not to the second choice listed on each ballot. If someone Four states—Florida, Indiana, Champagne 10 votes = 30 pts 5 votes = 10 pts 15 votes = 15 pts 55 pts crossed off are, in effect, approved of, although gets a majority, the election is over. If no one receives a Maryland, and Minnesota—used varia- psychologically there is almost surely a difference majority, the counting goes to round three and continues tions of Instant Runoff Voting in primary elections as early Although Napoleon Bonaparte quashed the between approving and disapproving of candidates.”13 until someone has 50% + 1 of the total votes. There is no as 1912. Ireland and Australia currently use IRV in nation- 19 20 Borda Count election system in the nineteenth century, need for a separate runoff election, thus explaining the al elections, and London uses it to elect its mayor. twentieth century sports writers and fans revived a term Instant Runoff Voting, and the winner always has a San Francisco is implementing IRV for its November, And the Winner Is—Kicked Out 21 complicated version of it to determine who receives majority of the votes.16 2004 elections as well.