California Governor Vetoes Bill to Let All Cities and Counties Use Instant Runoff Voting for their Own Elections

On September 29, California Governor Jerry Brown vetoed SB 1288. It would have let all California cities and counties use instant runoff voting for their own elections. Currently, only charter cities and counties can make that choice. The veto message says that instant runoff voting is too confusing for some voters.

U.S. Government 2014 Publication Recommends to International Debate Sponsors that Debates be Inclusive

The United States Agency for International Development, a government agency established in 1961 (USAID) in 2014 published recommendations to debate sponsors around the world. USAID recommended that debate sponsors be inclusive when they decide which parties and candidates to invite. See this article in The Intercept by Lee Fang.

Indiana Straight-Ticket Device Still Exists but No Longer Applies to Multi-Winner Partisan Elections

Although Indiana still has a straight-ticket device, this year the device does not apply to partisan races in which more than one person is to be elected. This interesting article in the Terre Haute daily newspaper, the Tribune Star, discusses the consequences, with much emphasis on independent and minor party candidates.