Marin Ranked Voting - California Local

LA Councilmember Huizar Announces IRV Task Force

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 11:08:19 -0500

Councilmembers Create Instant Runoff Voting Task Force

Councilmember Huizar calls for task force to study costs, feasibility and other issues surrounding IRV – Rosendahl seconds motion

October 30, 2008--In a bid to bring Instant Runoff Voting to the City of Los Angeles and save taxpayers millions of dollars, Los Angeles City Councilmembers José Huizar and Bill Rosendahl moved Wednesday to support the creation of a task force to address procedural issues around IRV.

In a 10-2 vote, the City Council approved the task force after a spirited discussion in Chambers where several perspectives were raised and no clear consensus could be reached on IRV. Councilmember Huizar asked the Clerk’s office to report back by the end of December on their findings.

New momentum in Los Angeles

Wed, 14 May 2008 18:45:23 -0400

May 14, 2008--This week the campaign for IRV for City of Los Angeles received major new endorsements from the L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce and former mayor Richard Riordan. These come soon after a new position statement from the Los Angeles League of Women Voters.

All three endorsement statements are reproduced below.

Archived articles

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 21:23:33 -0400

Older articles on local electoral reform campaigns are archived here.

All hands on deck in Los Angeles - IRV hearing October 29

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:48:07 -0400

By Gautam Dutta

October 24, 2008--We have some goods news -- and need your immediate help.

This week, the Instant Runoff Voting motion cleared the Rules Committee of the Los Angeles City Council. We sincerely thank everyone who came out to support IRV. The motion will now go to the full Council on Wednesday morning, October 29.

This vote will be very close, so we need you to do two more things for IRV right away:

1. Bring as many people as possible to the LA City Hall hearing on Wednesday, October 29th at 10:00am. We need the City Council to show leadership – and put IRV on the March 2009 ballot. The more of us that show up, the better the chances that the Council will approve the IRV motion.

2. Call and write Council Members Hahn and Wesson to urge them to vote for the IRV motion. We have provided a sample letter below. The council members can be reached at 213-473-7015 (Chief of Staff to CM Hahn: Courtney.Chesla@lacity.org) and at 213-473-7010 (Chief of Staff to CM Wesson: Charmette.Bonpua@lacity.org).

Please feel free to contact us at 213-480-0994 if we may be of any assistance. You can also visit our website at www.IRVinLA.org. See you Wednesday!

Sample Letter

Dear Council Member,

Recently, Council Members Rosendahl, Huizar, and Reyes introduced a critical motion to adopt Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) for Los Angeles municipal elections. Once IRV is fully implemented, it will save Los Angeles taxpayers $8 to $9 million per election cycle.

I am writing to express my strong support for adopting IRV for all elections involving the City of Los Angeles, LA Community College District, and LA Unified School District.

Please approve this motion. IRV will bring valuable reform to our political system -- and your leadership is needed to make this happen. It’s time for voters to decide if IRV is right for Los Angeles.

Sincerely,

_____________________

Gautam Dutta is Deputy Director of the Political Reform Program at the New America Foundation.

Last revised October 24, 2008

Call to action: contact Los Angeles city council members

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 21:26:26 -0400

By Gautam Dutta

October 13, 2008--We have great news! Councilmembers Rosendahl, Huizar, and Reyes just introduced a motion that would make Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) a permanent reform for Los Angeles elections. The IRV motion may be accessed here.

We sincerely thank Councilmembers Rosendahl, Huizar, and Reyes for responding to the community’s input and crafting an excellent motion on IRV.

However, the campaign to bring IRV to Los Angeles has only begun. The IRV motion will be heard by the City Council’s Rules and Government Committee on October 22, 3 pm, in City Hall Room 1070. If the motion clears the Rules Committee, the full City Council will only have until October 29 to approve the motion so that it can qualify for the March 2009 ballot (as a City Charter amendment).

To get IRV on the March 2009 ballot, we need your immediate help for three things:

1. Get as many people as possible (including yourself) to attend the Rules Committee hearing on IRV (Oct 22, 3 pm, City Hall Rm. 1070). We need the Committee to see how strongly the community feels about IRV.

2. Contact Councilmembers Weiss and Zine. We have included a sample letter (below). The councilmembers can be reached at 213.473.7005 (Chief of Staff to CM Weiss: Denise.Sample@lacity.org) and at 213.473.7003 (Chief of Staff to CM Zine: Cliff.Ruff@lacity.org).

It is imperative that we let Rules Committee know how much we want IRV on the ballot in March. If the motion doesn’t get past the Rules Committee, the full Council will not even be able to vote on it.

3. Contact your own Councilmember and Mayor Villaraigosa. Once IRV clears the Rules Committee, it will go to a vote by the full City Council. We are under a tight deadline and need as many letters and phone calls as possible! Contact information for all City Councilmembers can be found at http://www.lacity.org/council.htm. Mayor Villaraigosa may be reached at 213.978.0600 (Deputy Chief of Staff to Mayor Villaraigosa: Jimmy.Blackman@lacity.org). Please feel free to contact us at 213.480.0994 if we may be of any assistance. Thanks again for your support.

Sample Letter

Dear Councilmember,

Recently, Councilmembers Rosendahl, Huizar, and Reyes introduced a critical motion to adopt Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) for Los Angeles municipal elections. Once IRV is fully implemented, it will save Los Angeles taxpayers $8 to $9 million per election cycle.

I am writing to express my strong support for adopting IRV for all elections involving the City of Los Angeles, the LA Community College District, and the LA Unified School District.

IRV will bring valuable reform to our political system. Please approve this motion so that voters can decide if IRV is right for Los Angeles.

Sincerely,

_________

Gautam Dutta is Deputy Director of the Political Reform Program at the New America Foundation.

Last revised October 13, 2008

Los Angeles: a cup half full

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 16:37:33 -0400

By Gautam Dutta

September 29, 2008--We have good news and bad news. First, the good news: Councilmember José Huizar just introduced a motion to put Instant Runoff Voting on the March 2009 Los Angeles ballot. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Bill Rosendahl. We welcome this long awaited development.

Support choice voting at Davis city council meeting February 26

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 18:20:14 -0500

By David Cary

February 24, 2008--Please help Davis takes its next step towards implementing choice voting. After AB 1294 was vetoed last fall, a two-member subcommittee of the Davis City Council began hearings on adopting a charter. The subcommittee is now presenting its findings and recommendations for consideration by the full City Council. This call to action is for all ranked voting supporters who are within striking distance of Davis.

Please attend the Davis City Council's hearing on the Charter City Subcommittee's report and show your support for choice voting this coming Tuesday, February 26, at 6:30 pm.

Los Angeles City Council considers IRV

Wed, 06 Jun 2007 14:24:49 -0400

By Steven Hill

June 5, 2007 -- On Wednesday, June 13, the Rules & Elections Committee of the Los Angeles City Council will hold an important hearing on using instant runoff voting in Los Angeles for local elections. It’s crucial that we turn out as many people as possible to this hearing, and also that we generate numerous letters, emails and phone calls to targeted city council members (see sample letter and talking points below).

New America Foundation study shows problems with runoff elections in Los Angeles

Thu, 12 Apr 2007 16:41:53 -0400

By the New America Foundation

April 11, 2007 -- As Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa proposes decreasing the city of Los Angeles’ budget deficit, a new study suggests another way to save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars: eliminate the May runoff election and instead use instant runoff voting to elect majority winners in a single election.

Los Angeles taxpayers are about to spend an estimated five million dollars for a May 15 runoff election in which fewer than 10 percent of voters are likely to participate. Lynne Serpe, deputy director of the New America Foundation's political reform program based in Los Angeles, says: "If Mayor Villaraigosa wishes to decrease the budget deficit, he can start by eliminating an unnecessary May runoff election. The runoff election will cost taxpayers and candidates millions of dollars, even though voter turnout is predicted to be in the single digits."