Petition to Support Instant Runoff Voting for North Carolina

Election reform and voting rights advocates are working hard to bring instant runoff voting (IRV) to communities across the U.S., including here in North Carolina

In 2006, North Carolina's General Assembly approved a pilot program that allowed communities to use instant runoff voting. Cary and Hendersonville became the first places in the south to use IRV ballots. By using IRV, the Town of Cary avoided a traditional runoff and saved $28,000.

However, the legislation that enabled the pilots has expired. In order to make IRV an option in the future, the NC General Assembly must chose to extend and expand the IRV pilot program.

To make IRV a sustainable option for NC, we must ask the state to invest in the appropriate software upgrades and implement the highest standards in election integrity to maintain public confidence in our elections.

In 2006, North Carolina spent $3.4 million on one statewide run-off election for one primary race, resulting in a 3% voter turnout. This year the runoff for the Democratic nominee for Labor Commissioner is likely to see similar results - while 90% of the nearly $4 million price tag borne by the counties.

Run-off elections almost always see a drop in turnout, and those who do vote in run-offs tend to be older, whiter, and more affluent. IRV helps to ensure greater voter voice in one election, and a majority winner. It also prevents "spoiler" elections - where two candidates with similar platforms split the vote and allow another candidate representing a minority platform to win.

IRV has been used in:
San Fransisco, CA
Minneapolis, MN
Santa Fe, NM
Takoma Park, MD
Vermont
Scotland
Australia
Ireland
Military voters overseas from SC and LA

It has been endorsed by USA Today, Senator John McCain, Senator Barack Obama, DNC Chair Howard Dean, VT and CA League of Women Voters, Center for Consitutional Rights, the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, and the National Association of State PIRGs.

It has been endorsed in North Carolina by the Winston Salem Journal, Wilmington Star News, Fayetteville News and Observer, Blue Ridge Now, Democracy NC, North Carolina Fair Share, Common Cause NC and John Hood (of the John Locke Foundation).