Duluth calls for IRV-compatible voting equipment
The Duluth City Council
has passed a resolution calling on the State of Minnesota to add to its voting
equipment certification standards the ability to process ranked and cumulative
ballots used in advanced voting methods such as Instant Runoff Voting. The
occasion for the resolution is the Help America Vote Act appropriation pending
at the legislature. Close to $40 million of federal money has been designated
for Minnesota to purchase "assisted voting technology," enabling blind and
disabled persons to vote in secret, new optical scanners, and other election
system improvements.

The resolution was brought to the council by Jane Gilley, a Duluth resident
who co-chaired the League of Women Voters of Minnesota study of alternative
voting methods published last fall and which resulted in the League taking
a position in support of Instant Runoff Voting. The council's action was
taken at the April 25, 2005 council meeting. The resolution was introduced
by Council President Donny Ness. It was approved on a 7 to 2 vote. Duluth
is the third Minnesota city to take such an action. Hopkins and Minneapolis
passed similar resolutions previously. To view the full text of the Duluth
resolution, see this link.

Ramsey County supports right of
local governments to adopt IRV
At its April 12 meeting, the Ramsey County
Board approved a resolution introduced by Commissioner Jan Wiessner to
support allowing local governments to use Instant Runoff Voting in local
elections.
The resolution referenced the advocacy work of FairVote Minnesota and said, "The
County Board views Instant Runoff Voting as a mechanism that can be used
to ensure citizens the right to have their votes counted." Commissioners
voting in favor of the resolution were Toni Carter, Jim McDonough, Rafael
Ortega, Victoria Reinhardt, Janice Rettman, and Jan Wiessner. Tony Bennett
was absent. The full text of the resolution can be viewed at this
link.

Several public bodies hear about Instant Runoff Voting
In a period of just
a few weeks, FairVote Minnesota has addressed no fewer than six public
bodies. Policy Advocate Bruce Kennedy spoke to school district boards
in Anoka-Hennepin,
Edina (with Edina resident Bill Hannon), Rosemount-Eagan-Apple Valley,
and Moundsview. President Tony Solgård presented to the Saint Paul Charter
Commission
on April 18.

On April 22, the Minneapolis City Council held a study session on Instant
Runoff Voting. The session was sponsored by Council members Dan Niziolek
and Robert Lilligren. Council member Lilligren convened and presided at the
session. Solgård was joined by City Elections Director Susanne Griffin and
Minneapolis resident Jeanne Massey. Council members in attendance included
Lilligren, Scott Benson, Dean Zimmerman, Don Samuels, Paul Ostrow, Natalie
Johnson Lee.

At the two-hour session, broadcast on local cable access television and
the city's website, council members heard about the concerns and opportunities
that led to considering the alternative voting method. They heard how Instant
Runoff Voting works, the experience of other jurisdictions that use it, and
they had a chance to choose their collective favorite flavor of ice cream
in a demonstration election. They also heard considerations for implementing
a change to another voting method, including crafting the charter amendment,
acquiring needed technology, election official training, and voter education.
Budgetary considerations include upfront costs for technology, training,
and education and ongoing savings of approximately $200,000 per election
year by eliminating the nonpartisan city primary election.

You can view the PowerPoint Presentation made at the session at this
link.