Tools and Resources
This section of the Marin Ranked Voting website includes our download area and links to other source of information on ranked voting. Click on "Downloads" below for our current flyers, leaflets and other materials which you are free to reproduce and distribute. Click on "Links" for other election reform organizations, email lists and informational websites.Downloads
Here are flyers, brochures, etc. for you to download, print and distribute. We have included material from FairVote - The Center for Voting and Democracy and from Californians for Electoral Reform (CfER), as well as our own publications.
Everything is available in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format. Where possible, we have also provided a Microsoft Word (.doc) file.
About Us
Our flyers, signup sheet and endorsement form.
About Californians for Electoral Reform - with Membership Form
Californians for Electoral Reform (CfER) is a state-wide organization with the same goals as ours: election reforms to ensure that elected officials accurately represent all voters. We encourage everyone who supports ranked voting to join.
Here is an introduction to CfER and a membership form (1 sheet, print both sides) in both Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Word formats.
Marin Rank Voting - Majority Rule And Full Representation
This is our introduction to Marin Ranked Voting, which includes the text of this article in a tri-fold brochure format. Download either the Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Word version and print on both sides of a single sheet.
Last revised March 1, 2007
Signup and Endorsement Forms
The first page is our signup sheet for tabling at events. You can also fill it out online here.
Use the second page to collect endorsements of the following statement: "All California counties, cities and districts should have the option of using ranked voting in their elections.” Or link to our endorsements page.
These two forms can be printed back-to-back on the same sheet of paper, if desired. Download either the Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) or Microsoft Word (.doc) version.
Events
This section is for meeting reports, audio transcripts and related documents from Marin Ranked Voting and Californians for Electoral Reform.
Video from "Bring Democracy Home" forum
We now have a video transcript of the September 15 forum at the College of Marin, "Bring Democracy Home". Many thanks to media activist and documentary filmmaker Jim Geraghty for making this film come out so well.
Click on a photo to begin play. During play, right-click on the video to control playback (pause/resume, stop, zoom). Zooming to full screen mode also provides controls at the bottom of the screen.
Part I: Francis White, Debra Bowen, Steven Hill
Part II: Peter Phillips, Sherry Healy, Danny Medress, Richard Winger, Q&A
Credits
Part I
Part II
Last revised December 19, 2007
Bring Democracy Home, September 15
Help us promote this public forum on September 15. Here is a flyer you can reproduce and post, and our press release, both in Adobe Acrobat format.
You can also link to this web page. The URL is http://www.marinrankedvoting.org/files/ER_forum_flyer2.htm.
Assembly floor debate on AB 1294
MP3 recording of the debate and vote on AB 1294 in the California Assembly on June 6, 2007. The chair is Speaker Pro Tem Sally Lieber (D-22). The speakers are (in order) principle author Gene Mullin (D-19), Chuck DeVore (R-70), Van Tran (R-68), Roger Niello (R-5), Anthony Adams (R-59), co-author Mark Leno (D-13), and co-author Fiona Ma (D-12).
There are a number of very short gaps in the audio, generally not more than a couple of words.
Until we add streaming audio capability to our site, this file is for download only. To save the file (13 minutes and approximately 6 megabytes) on your computer, right-click on the file name and choose "Save As". Depending on your browser and media software, left-clicking on the filename may--or may not--download it to a temporary location on your computer and then open it in your media player.
CfER All-Member Conference Call on January 16
MP3 recording of a January 16, 2006 conference call for members of Californians for Electoral Reform. Covers CfER's work on a California Citizens' Assembly and on IRV legislation, and current work in Alameda County.
Until we add streaming audio capability to our site, these files are for download only. To facilitate downloading, the call is divided into three segments, each about 18 minutes long. Note: unfortunately, the files may be listed out of order under "Attachments" below.
To save the files (about 4 megabytes each) on your computer, right-click on the file name and choose "Save As". Left-clicking on the file name may (or may not, depending on your browser) download it to a temporary location and then open it in your media player.
CfER President Steve Chessin Talks with Thom Hartmann
MP3 recording of radio talk show host Thom Hartmann interviewing Californians for Electoral Reform President Steve Chessin on a nationwide broadcast on October 10, 2005. In this nine-minute interview, Steve discusses both IRV and proportional voting. Hartmann appears enthusiastic.
Until we add streaming audio capability to our site, this file is for download only. To save the file (approximately 2.3 megabytes) on your computer, right-click on the file name and choose "Save As". Left-clicking on the filename may (or may not) download it to a temporary location on your computer and then open it in your media player.
Issues
AB 1294 fact sheets and flyers
Here are three flyers on AB 1294 to print and distribute.
Last revised October 1, 2007
Full text of AB 1294
The text of AB 1294 in Adobe Acrobat format. This file is reduced two pages to one for convenient printing. Normal .pdf and .html versions, bill history and staff analyst reports are available here.
Last revsied April 12, 2007
AB 1662 fact sheet
Here is a one page summary of Assembly Bill 1662 (Paul Cook, R-65), which would use ranked ballots to allow more overseas absentee voters to return their ballots on time when runoff elections are conducted close to the preliminary round.
CfER's 2007 Legislative Priorities
December 15, 2006 -- The attached Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Word documents provide details on CfER's legislative proposals for 2007. The following text is a summary.
1a. "Home rule" (or "local option") bill enabling general law jurisdictions to use ranked voting, and putting guidelines in the Elections Code, based on SB 596 introduced by State Senator Debra Bowen in the 2005-2006 session.
Charter cities and charter counties can choose whatever electoral system they want (plurality, two-round runoff, instant runoff (IRV), choice voting, cumulative voting, etc.; as well as at-large, districts, or numbered seats). General law cities are limited by current state law to plurality elections, which can be at-large, by district or from districts. General law counties are limited to two-round runoff, by district in most counties and from districts in a few counties.
Even in chartered jurisdictions, there are roadblocks to the implementation of ranked voting. Equipment vendors say they need standards for certification before they can upgrade their hardware and software. Without guidance in state law, county election officials are reluctant to conduct IRV or choice voting elections for cities that have amended their charters because these methods are not specified in the Elections Code. The current Secretary of State says he wants more chartered jurisdictions to adopt ranked voting methods before developing such guidelines.
CfER has been contacted by citizens and elected officials from general law cities and counties who are interested in moving to IRV or some form of proportional voting (e.g. choice voting or cumulative voting), but can't do so without writing a charter.
This bill would let general law cities and counties have the same freedom of choice of electoral system that charter cities and counties have, without the hassle of writing a charter. The bill would also specify the procedures for conducting elections with ranked ballots, for both single-seat (IRV) and multi-seat (choice voting) elections. SB 596 had a detailed specification in the bill itself; a possible alternative is to incorporate a published specification by reference.
Financial impact: None.
1b. Put ranked voting procedures in the Elections Code without authorizing their use in general law jurisdictions.
This proposal is, in effect, the guidelines portion of (1a) without the "home rule" provision for general law jurisdictions. Under this bill, charter cities and counties wanting to using IRV or choice voting would not have to develop their own procedures, and county election officials and equipment vendors would know how to implement ranked voting methods. General law jurisdictions would not be affected.
Financial impact: None.
1c. Direct the Secretary of State to adopt election administration uidelines and certification standards by regulation.
This an alternative to (1b). Instead of putting guidelines for ranked oting in the Elections Code, it would direct the Secretary of State to develop uniform procedures for conducting IRV and choice voting elections, and standards for certifying equipment. Jurisdictions whose charter provisions are compatible with the guidelines would find the implementation process much smoother, as would equipment vendors.
Financial impact: Minimal. (The Secretary of State would probably want to charge a portion of its budget to this bill.)
2. Mandate ranked ballots for military and overseas absentee voters when a runoff is within 90 days of the first round.
Many local jurisdictions use the two-round runoff system for their elections (if no candidate receives a majority in the first round, the top two vote-getters face each other in a second election). Also, special elections to fill legislative, Congressional, and statewide vacancies mandate a modified two-round runoff election (if no candidate receives a majority in the first round, the top vote-getter of each party participates in a second election). The time between the first and second election in these cases is often insufficient for military and overseas absentee voters to receive and return the second ballot in time for it to be counted, because of the delays involved in military and overseas mail.
Arkansas, Louisiana, and South Carolina solve this problem by allowing military and overseas absentee voters to rank their choices on a runoff ballot that includes all the candidates. Each such voter receives two ballots, the normal primary ballot, and the special runoff ballot, and returns both prior to the first election. The normal primary ballot is counted with all the other primary ballots. If a given race requires a runoff, then after the polls close for the runoff election the special runoff ballots are examined to determine each such voter's runoff choice, and a substitute ballot is so marked that can be counted with the rest of the regular runoff ballots.
Financial impact: some increase in printing and processing the special runoff ballots, offset by savings in not needing a second mailing to military and overseas absentee voters.
Last revised February 6, 2007
California Democratic Party Resolution
Here is the text of the resolution supporting optional instant runoff voting adopted by the Executive Board of the California Democratic Party on October 2, 2005.
Full text of SB 596
The text of SB 596 in Adobe Acrobat format. This file is reduced two pages to one for convenient printing. Normal .pdf and .html versions, bill history and staff analyst reports are available here.
Get Involved: Secure Public Interest Voting Machines!
We need to ensure that the money now being spent on new voting equipment won't have to be spent all over again when ranked voting and other methods of full representation are implemented. Here is a new statement (1 sheet, print both sides) from FairVote outlining the message we need to be communicating to election officials at all levels of government.
Instant Runoff Voting Successful in San Francisco
FairVote has summarized the successful implementation of instant runoff voting in the 2004 Board of Supervisors election in San Francisco in this one-page handout. Links to the detailed reports on which this summary is based are collected here.
SB 596 - A Choice of Voting Systems for Local Government
This tri-fold brochure reprints (with very minor changes) Sen. Debra Bowen's press release on SB 596, legislation that would give all local governments the option to use ranked voting in their elections. Print on both sides of one sheet. Download either the Microsoft Word document or Adobe Acrobat file.
Get Involved: Eight Steps to a Representative Government
A two-page flyer from FairVote that outlines steps activists need to take to bring fair and full representation to their cities.
Library
Literature on ranked voting in general, mostly from FairVote. Many of these documents are cited in the Analysis section of our site.
Please make copies and distribute widely!
Choice Voting
Ranked voting in multi-winner elections--representatives elected at-large rather than from districts--is usually called choice voting. FairVote produced this tri-fold flyer (one sheet, print both sides) which explains how it works and describes the benefits.
Note: FairVote used to be called The Center For Voting and Democracy. Some of their literature has not yet been updated with their new name and logo.
Faster, Cheaper, Better Elections with Instant Runoff Voting
An excellent tri-fold brochure on instant runoff voting (IRV)--the single-winner form of ranked voting. Published by FairVote.
You can download this in color and black and white versions, both as Adobe Acrobat documents.
Let's Have Pizza for Dinner!
Don't be fooled by the title. This is a fable about political representation, which begins:
Once there was a group of six friends: an Alligator, a Bull, a Bear, a Cat, a Sheep and a Cormorant. They went out and ordered pizza for dinner. They decided to order one very large pizza and all split it. But what topping should they choose?
This brochure from FairVote explains full representation using with a light touch. Print on both sides of one sheet of legal paper and fold three times.
You can vote for your own favorites in this DemoChoice poll.
Last revised July 1, 2007
Links
Here are several pages of links to IRV and proportional voting resources on the internet.
We'd like this guide to grow over time, so please let us know about sites we've missed. We'd also like to keep this section up-to-date, so please report broken links here. Thanks!
Blog Roll
IRV and proportional voting
Other election reforms
Last revised May 19, 2008
Educational and research information
Electoral reform organizations
Other California local campaigns, just like us
National and state organizations
Last updated May 18, 2008
Email news and discussion lists
Political Parties in Marin
If you have additions or corrections (especially if you can fill in the missing information), please contact us.
- American Independent Party
- Democratic Party
- Green Party
- Libertarian Party
- Peace and Freedom Party
- Reform Party
- Republican Party
Page last revised August 4, 2008
IRV in Oakland
This page will be updated frequently.
Look here first:
Documents (most recent listed first):
Press coverage (most recent articles first):
Last revised July 28, 2006
Choice Voting in Davis
This page will be updated frequently.
Look here first:
Documents (most recent listed first):
Press coverage (most recent articles first):
Last revised July 28, 2006
Citizens' Assemblies
This page will be updated frequently.
Look here first:
- J.H. Snider, Citizens Assembly Blog.
- New American Foundation, "Citizens Assembly: an important vehicle for political reform", no date.
- Commonwealth Club and New America Foundation, "Reconnecting Californians to Their Government: A Forum on Citizen Assemblies", San Francisco, January 25, 2006. The panelists are Steven Hill, Gordon Gibson, Joseph Canciamilla, and Vikram Amar. To hear the audio, scroll down to "Uncut VoR Audio" and click on "Listen Now" or "Download mp3".
Press coverage of ACA 28, the Richman/Canciamilla proposal for a California Citizens' Assembly (most recent articles first):
- Raheem Hosseini, "Cutting out the middlemen", Policy Today, March 1, 2006, pages 10-12. Download the .pdf here.
- Jan Frel, "A Citizens' Assembly in the Golden State", Alternet, February 27, 2006.
- Alan Greenblatt, "The mod squad: Two California legislators pursue long-shot reform", Governing Today, February 2006. Scroll down to find the article title.
- Editorial, "A Citizens Assembly",Contra Costa Times, February 14, 2006.
- David Davenport, "The case for a citizens assembly", San Francisco Chronicle, February 12, 2006. The author is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution and a faculty member at Peperdine University.
- Matthew Soberg Shugart, "Searching for the center: A citizens assembly for California?", Fruits and Votes, February 7, 2006. Essential reading, not just on the Citizens' Assembly idea, but also on why proportional voting is just as important to the political center as it is to the right and left.
- Alyson Noble, "Measure ACA 28 proposed to better represent unelected citizens", UC Davis California Aggie, February 3, 2006.
- Timm Herdt, "Gonna have a revolution: Richman seeks citizen panel to reinvent politics", Ventura County Star, February 1, 2006.
- Steve Geissinger, "Citizen advice panel pushed: Ideas for reform would go on ballot", Los Angeles Daily News, January 30, 2006.
- Steve Geissinger, "Lawmakers want Citizens Assembly: Bipartisan duo push radical approach to fixing California's problems", Oakland Tribune, January 29, 2006.
- Greenlining Institute, "Greenlining Supports 'Citizens Assembly' Legislation", Press Release, January 27, 2006.
- Lynda Gledhill, "Lawmakers promote 'citizens assembly' for California",San Francisco Chronicle, January 27, 2006.
- Edwin Garcia, "Lawmakers call for creation of citizens panel", San Jose Mercury News, January 27, 2006. This articles says California has 40 assembly districts and the Citizens' Assembly would have 80 members; the correct numbers are 80 districts and 160 to 170 members.
- Editorial, "Seeking reform? Look to the north", San Francisco Examiner, January 24, 2006.
- Daniel Weintraub, "Turning to the people to fix politics", Sacramento Bee, January 22, 2006.
- David Lesher, "California schemin': The Golden State needs big, bold ideas to solve the puzzle its future presents", San Francisco Chronicle, January 8, 2006.
- Lisa Vorderbrueggen, "New power ahead for state citizens?", Contra Costa Times, January 8, 2006.
- Editorial, "Plan would let citizens change state government", Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, January 5, 2006.
- Dan Walters, "If governor's looking for a cause, not a cop-out, here's an idea", Sacramento Bee, January 3, 2006.
- Editorial, "Everyone gets a shot", Santa Maria Times, December 29, 2005.
- Editorial, "A promising reform: If anyone knows how to fix state government, it ought to be the aggrieved", Long Beach Press Telegram, December 28, 2005.
- Dan Morain, "Plan would put reform in citizens' hands: Two lawmakers propose to let a panel of voters come up with ideas to restructure government", Los Angeles Times, December 26, 2005. On January 5, the Times published this correction, but it still doesn't get the British Columbia proposal exactly right.
- Bob Bauer, "Reform in California and the 'Citizens Assembly'", More Soft Money Hard Law, December 21, 2005. A sceptical view.
- Andy Furillo, "Overhaul of state electoral system sought: Legislation would create a 'citizens assembly' to propose changes to voters", Sacramento Bee, December 20, 2005.
Authors' statements on ACA 28
- Keith Richman and Joe Canciamilla, "It is the process that provides the credibility", Policy Today, March 1, 2006, pages 14-17. Download the .pdf here.
- Keith Richman, "California Citizens Assembly Fact Sheet", Assembly District 38 website, no date..
- Joe Canciamilla and Keith Richman, "Canciamilla And Richman Announce Legislation To Establish A California Citizens Assembly", Press Release on ACA 28, January 26, 2006.
- Keith Richman, quoted in "Ending the gridlock: How to get state government to provide leadership and smart public policy", San Diego Union Tribune, November 27, 2005.
Press coverage of the 2006 Ontario Citizens Assembly (most recent articles first):
- Chip Martin, "Electoral reform focus of local sessions today", London Free Press, June 3, 2006.
- "Towards fair elections", Brantford Expositor, May 30, 2006.
- Editorial, "Review of electoral system is overdue", St. Catherines-Niagara Standard, May 30, 2006.
- James Wallace, "Possible electoral overhaul starts at local level", Kingston Whig-Standard, May 27, 2006.
- Roger Belgrave, "People get a say about government", Brampton Guardian, May 21, 2006.
- "Voters will help decide if we need new electoral system", Brampton Guardian, May 21, 2006.
- Kenneth Kidd, "A democratic rethink", Toronto Star, April 16, 2006.
- Editorial, "Changing how we elect our MPPs: entrenched powers may not allow any meaningful change", Strathroy Age Dispatch, April 12, 2006.
- Eric Walton, "Accountability issue can be dealt with", Kingston Whig-Standard, April 8, 2006. No longer available on the web.
- Meikle Turner, "Change our unfair voting system", Kingston Whig-Standard, April 8, 2006. No longer available on the web.
- Dave Pink, "Chance for change looks hopeful", Waterloo Record, April 6, 2006.
- "Hidden dangers in electoral reform", Toronto Star, April 5, 2006. Abridged from the April 4 Thunder Bay Chronicle Herald, which doesn't appear to have a web site.
- Dan McCaffery, "Ontario tackles election reform: Ridings will have citizens appointed", Sarnia Observer, April 4, 2006. No longer available on the web.
- Editorial, "Democratic renewal", London Free Press, April 2, 2006.
- Lawrence Solomon, "Proportional vote: any choice but stability", National Post, March 31, 2006. More arguments we need to know how to answer.
- "Electoral update set", Sault Sainte Marie Star, March 29, 2006. No long available on the web.
- Editorial, "Change isn't always better", Sudbury Star, March 28, 2006.
No longer available on the web.
- Ian Urquhart, "Electoral reform proposal is a gamble: citizens' assembly to study vote system", Toronto Star, March 28, 2006. This article and the Star's editorial on the same day present the argument against electoral reform; see next entry below.
- Editorial, "McGuinty's risky electoral rethink", Toronto Star, March 28, 2006. Strongly against proportional voting; it's important to read this because we can't respond to these arguments without knowing what they are.
- Antonella Artuso, "Eye on democracy: citizens assembly to examine Ontario's electoral system", Toronto Sun, March 28, 2006.
- Terry Weber, "Citizens' assembly to review Ontario electoral system", Toronto Globe and Mail, March 27, 2006.
- Gillian Livingston, "Former Ont. judge to assist in review of electoral process", Canadian Press, March 27, 2006.
- "McGuinty Government Moves Forward On Historic Electoral Reform Initiative", Canada News Wire, March 27, 2006.
Official announcements from Elections Ontario about the Ontario Citizens' Assembly:
- "Elections Ontario selects the first members for the Citizens' Assembly", Canada News Wire, May 30, 2006.
- "First member of Ontario Citizens' Assembly selected", Canada News Wire, May 29, 2006.
- "Media Advisory - Citizens' Assembly Selection Meetings Begin", Canada News Wire, May 25, 2006.
- "More than 120,000 Ontarians targeted in first mail-out for Citizens' Assembly selection process", Canada News Wire, April 26, 2006.
The 2003 British Columbia Citizens' Assembly (most recent articles first):
- Les Leyne, "B.C. switches decision day", Victoria Times-Colonist, May 29, 2006.
- John McKenzie, "The will of the people", Prince George (B.C.) Free Press, May 3, 2006. A good example of how superficial arguments against proportional voting sometimes are.
- Tom Fletcher, "2009 more likely for B.C. vote on STV question", Abbotsford (B.C.) News, May 2, 2006.
- "Referendum on electoral process in B.C. delayed to 2009: Premier", Macleans, April 27, 2006.
- Leslie Vryenhoek, "Doing democracy differently", Memorial University of Newfoundland Gazette, February 23, 2006.
- J. H. Snider, "Exciting news concerning the citizens assembly proposal in the Netherlands", Citizens Assembly Blog, February 13, 2006.
- "Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform (British Columbia)", Wikipedia entry, n.d..
- Steven Hill, "In Canada, regular folks are put to work on reforms", San Jose Mercury News, November 16, 2005.
- Bob Bauer, "Redistricting Reform Blues", More Soft Money Hard Law, November 16, 2005. Bauer is sceptical about the model.
- Heather Gerken and Christopher Elmendorf, "Next time, start with the people", Balkinization, November 10, 2005. See also their reply to a critic on Profsblawg, November 11, 2005.
- Andre Blais, Kenneth Carty and Patrick Fournier, "Citizens' Choice of an Electoral System: The Decision of the BC Citizens' Assembly", Paper presented at the 2005 Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association, September 2005.
- Jim Stauffer,"Citizens' assembly: a new model for electoral reform", Voice for Democracy, Summer 2005.
- "Declan", STV for BC - Vote Yes!. This blog includes an especially thorough selection of links to coverage of the British Columbia referendum on choice voting.
- FairVote - The Center for Voting and Democracy, "California Citizens' Assembly", FairVote California Reform Initiative, Spring 2005.
- Matthew Soberg Shugart, "An intriguing idea for election reform goes to a vote today in British Columbia", San Jose Mercury News, May 17, 2005.
- "Canada's new voting system",Crikey (Australia), May 9, 2005.
- FairVote - The Center for Voting and Democracy,"BC-STV: The British Columbia Campaign for Choice Voting", FairVote Program for Representative Government. Includes many links to articles in the Canadian press.
- Gordon Gibson, "Report on the Constitution of the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform", Consultant's report to the goverment of British Columbia, December 23, 2002.
Elsewhere in Canada:
General and theoretical articles:
- National Civic League, "Should Politicians Be Trusted To Design Their Own Electoral Systems?", press release, January 24, 2006.
- J. H. Snider, "Solving a Classic Dilemma of Democratic Politics: Who Will Guard the Guardians?", National Civi Review, Winter 2005.
- John Ferejohn, "The Citizens' Assembly Model", unpublished manuscript, December 2005. The author is a professor of political science at Stanford.
- Dennis F. Thompson, "Who Should Govern Who Governs? The Role of Citizens in Reforming the Electoral System", unpublished manuscript, October 1, 2005. The author is a professor of government at Harvard and author of Just Elections: Creating a Fair Electoral Process in the United States..
Last updated June 3, 2006
