Bills in Vermont to use Instant Runoff Voting for at least one particular statewide race have not advanced. Therefore, neither H196 nor SB108 can pass this year. The chief impediment was the Secretary of State’s conclusion that making the change would cost too much money. The Vermont legislature has been pondering IRV for state and federal elections since 1999.
Good news.
http://RangeVoting.org/IRV.html
What a dumb statement by Clay Shentrup on so many levels. Good news, everyone! We’re still using plurality! If I were a range voting supporter, I’d want to get ranked ballots implemented as soon as I can. It’s beyond short-sighted to say it’s “good” that we’re not implementing ranked voting because it is somebody else’s preferred version of a ranked ballot and my own special, precious version of a ranked ballot. Give me a break. How many range voting bills are there in Vermont? Oh yeah: none. Your strategy should be to support IRV in those places where absolutely no one is supporting range voting. And in those places where people are supporting actual implementation of range voting, I’m sure all the other reformers will wish you all the best — because all reformers will when we implement ranked ballots and embrace modernizing our elections. We all lose when we stay stuck in the status quo. And your mean-spirited comment, as well as what I can only presume are your pointless attacks on IRV *in those places where there are no range voting supporters* serve to keep us stuck in the status quo.
I’m sure the Democrats that could pass this with a veto-proof majority in the Senate, and a veto-proof majority in the House with Progressive and independent support, will still turn around and attack the Progressives as “spoilers” in 2008.
As Yogi Berra said, “it ain’t over til it’s over.”