Category Archives: alternative voting systems

“Did Louisiana just elect ‘wrong’ governor due to flaw in Top 2 runoff method?”

November 22, 2015, 3:13 pmalternative voting systemsRick Hasen

Rob Richie: Before jumping to the conclusion that Edwards’ majority win indicates he would have won under any electoral system, think again. Edwards benefited from a classic problem with traditional two runoff-systems. That is, one of the two advancing… Continue reading

“Ranked-choice voting question certified for November 2016 ballot”

November 19, 2015, 7:30 amalternative voting systemsRick Hasen

News from Maine: Maine’s secretary of state has authenticated signatures on a citizen initiative to implement ranked-choice voting in Maine, which means voters will decide whether to implement the system at the polls in November 2016. More than 70,000… Continue reading

“Rich Tradition of Minority Party Representation Continues in Pennsylvania and Connecticut”

November 15, 2015, 9:43 amalternative voting systemsRick Hasen

Chris Hughes for FairVote: An interesting thing happened this year on Election Day in towns, cities, and counties across Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Despite the odds being stacked against them, minority parties earned representation thanks to fair representation voting methods. Many… Continue reading

“Virginia Legislative Elections Highlight Problems with Winner-Take-All Elections”

November 11, 2015, 6:46 amalternative voting systemsRick Hasen

FairVote: The most significant possible outcome for Tuesday’s election in Virginia was that the Democrats would win control of the state Senate, which would have made it easier for Governor Terry McAuliffe (D) to pass key agenda items. But,… Continue reading

“Ninth Circuit Rules 2-1 that Tucson Can’t Hold City Council Primaries in Districts, and then At-Large Elections in General”

November 10, 2015, 4:46 pmalternative voting systems, primariesRick Hasen

BAN: On November 10, the Ninth Circuit issued this opinion in Public Integrity Alliance v City of Tucson, 15-16142. By a vote of 2-1, the decision says that Tucson’s system of electing city council members violates Equal Protection. Tucson… Continue reading

“Zenith City Decision: Duluth, MN To Vote On Ranked Choice Voting”

October 27, 2015, 10:36 amalternative voting systemsRick Hasen

A ChapinBlog.

“Let’s move beyond winner-take-all elections”

October 23, 2015, 7:37 amalternative voting systems, redistricting, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Rob Richie’s contribution to WaPo Evenwel symposium.

Ranked Choice Voting Coming to Maine?

October 19, 2015, 3:55 pmalternative voting systemsRick Hasen

A step closer.

“The Paradox of Fairness and Competition in Virginia Redistricting”

October 16, 2015, 6:53 amalternative voting systems, redistrictingRick Hasen

FairVote: The most recent scuffle over congressional redistricting in Virginia illustrates how poor a job single-winner districts do at achieving meaningful elections with fair results.

“Democratic underdog seeks LGBT help in 2016 bid”

October 8, 2015, 5:50 amalternative voting systems, campaignsRick Hasen

Washington Blade: The Citizens Equality Act has three major components that seek citizen-funded elections, the equal right to vote and equal representation in Congress. It’s this last component, which would end political gerrymandering and create multi-member districts, that Lessig acknowledges… Continue reading

“Judge: No Cumulative Voting in City Elections”

September 24, 2015, 7:43 amalternative voting systems, Voting Rights ActRick Hasen

SCV News: A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge has ruled that cumulative voting cannot be used in the 2016 Santa Clarita City Council election. Cumulative voting – where people could choose to cast up to 3 votes for their… Continue reading

Will Canada Abandon First-Past-the-Post Elections?

September 12, 2015, 9:25 amalternative voting systemsRick Hasen

The Star: The Kiwis do it. So do the Germans and Scots. Now Kelly Carmichael is hopeful that after years of study, debate and political promises, Canada may be on the brink of doing it, too. “It” is electoral… Continue reading

“Seventh Circuit on the Right to ‘An Effective Voice in the General Election'”

September 11, 2015, 10:29 amalternative voting systemsRick Hasen

FairVote: The Seventh Circuit’s ruling may have significant implications. Indianapolis’s current law recognizes that in partisan elections for judges, partisan voters often “vote the ticket” and wipe out one side. That makes the primary the determinative election, with the… Continue reading

“Seventh Circuit Strikes Down Limited Voting for Indianapolis Judicial Races”

September 10, 2015, 10:31 amalternative voting systems, judicial electionsRick Hasen

Ballot Access News: On September 9, the Seventh Circuit agreed with the U.S. District Court that Indiana cannot provide for limited voting in partisan judicial races. The case is Common Cause Indiana v Individual Members of the Indiana Election Commission,… Continue reading