7.
City Council Work Session
- Meeting Date:
- 03/08/2022
- From:
- Stacy Saltzburg, City Clerk
- Department:
Co-Submitter:
TITLE:
Ranked Choice Voting Discussion and Considerations
DESIRED OUTCOME:
Discussion
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
On February 8, 2022 Council discussed the possibility of adding Ranked Choice Voting to the list of considered charter amendments for 2023. Council asked staff to come back for a more focused discussion with Council before any direction was to be given.
Staff has gathered general, high-level information on Ranked Choice Voting which you will find outlined below. In addition to providing information about what Ranked Choice Voting, we have identified points and considerations specific to Flagstaff potentially implementing Ranked Choice Voting.
Staff has gathered general, high-level information on Ranked Choice Voting which you will find outlined below. In addition to providing information about what Ranked Choice Voting, we have identified points and considerations specific to Flagstaff potentially implementing Ranked Choice Voting.
INFORMATION:
The information below was gathered regarding Ranked Choice Voting from the Ranked Choice Voting Resource Center (www.rcvresources.org)
Ranked-choice voting (RCV) is an election method under which voters rank candidates in order of preference (first choice, second choice, third choice, and so on). Ranking candidates is different from simply selecting one candidate or what is known as plurality voting. If a candidate receives 50% + 1 of the first choices, that candidate wins, just like in any other election. However, if there is no majority winner after counting the first choices, the race is decided by an instant runoff. The candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and voters who ranked that candidate as their first choice will have their votes count for their next choice. This process continues until a majority winner or a candidate wins with 50% + 1 of the vote.
Single -Winner RCV
Single-winner ranked-choice voting refers to the method of voting and counting of the votes for a single-winner contest, such as mayor, governor, or a single-winner district, when only one person is elected to the position. With ranked-choice voting, the voter ranks their candidate choices in order of preference. Then choices are counted to determine which candidate has 50% + 1 of the votes after the first round of counting or if additional rounds of counting are needed to reach a majority.
Multi-Winner RCV
Multi-winner ranked-choice voting refers to the method of voting and counting of the votes for a multi-winner contest, such as city council, school board, or legislature, when more than one individual is elected at-large or for district elections with multiple representatives within a district. With ranked-choice voting, the voter ranks their choices in order of preference. The first choices are then counted to determine which candidates have exceeded the number of votes necessary to be elected. After the first round of counting, we can determine whether additional rounds of counting are needed to fill each seat up for election.
Additional Information on Ranked Choice Voting can be found in the document attached to the staff summary.
Concerns with Ranked Choice Voting for the City of Flagstaff
Ranked Choice Voting is not a form of voting currently supported by Arizona Election Law.
Shifting to Ranked-Choice Voting would require a significant Charter change that would include at least nine separate questions. This would reduce the ability to present the other needed Charter amendments. Additionally, in order for Charter amendments to become effective, the Governor must officially approve the Charter amendments. With elections being a matter of statewide concern it is questionable as to whether the Governor will approve. If there were other Charter amendments unrelated to RCV, those would also not become effective because the Governor either approves all or none of the Charter amendments.
Ranked Choice Voting would also compromise our contract with Coconino County Elections and the City would be responsible for conducting our own elections at a significant expense to the City as explained further here. RCV would require the City to purchase our own voting equipment or be faced with hand counting of ballots. We would be responsible for ballot design, printing, and distribution. Early voting would need to be accommodated in person as well as through mail for voters who request early mail ballots and overseas voters. We would be responsible for locating and setting up polling places which would include hiring and training poll workers. With nearly 45,000 active registered voters and 26 precincts in Flagstaff, the staff in the City Clerk's office would be significantly overburdened. Significant funding and additional staff would be required to implement RCV.
A policies and procedures manual would need to be created to guide the conduct of the election. There would be no assistance or support from the state in the development of the manual because as stated above, RCV is not supported by Arizona Election Law. It would require the assistance of a consultant which would be costly and it would take a considerable amount of staff time to develop.
The other area of concern with Ranked-Choice Voting at the local level is voter confusion. Presently, voters are able to vote at one polling place using one ballot. With the implementation of RCV voters could be faced with having to vote using two separate ballots; one for local questions and one for state/county/federal questions. If voters vote by mail they would have to make sure the two ballots are voted using the appropriate method and returned in their respective envelopes to ensure they get to the appropriate locations to be counted.
In addition to multiple ballots, voters could also be faced with having to utilize two separate polling places. With the loss of the County contract, the City would need to establish its own polling places and spend staff time to familiarize voters with those new polling places. This would mean that voters would have to go to one polling place for local questions and another polling place for county/state/federal questions.
Another challenge for voters is that different methods of voting would be required for the different jurisdictions. They would be using RCV for the local races and traditional voting for the county/state/federal races. A significant amount of outreach and education would be needed to make sure voters understand the differences they will be faced with when voting.
The implementation of Ranked Choice Voting is better suited at the state level especially given the intense scrutiny on elections and proposed legislative changes regarding the conduct of elections. This would ensure uniform voting practices across jurisdictions, it would provide cities and counties the support necessary to implement, and would maintain the position of elections being a matter of statewide concern.
Ranked-choice voting (RCV) is an election method under which voters rank candidates in order of preference (first choice, second choice, third choice, and so on). Ranking candidates is different from simply selecting one candidate or what is known as plurality voting. If a candidate receives 50% + 1 of the first choices, that candidate wins, just like in any other election. However, if there is no majority winner after counting the first choices, the race is decided by an instant runoff. The candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and voters who ranked that candidate as their first choice will have their votes count for their next choice. This process continues until a majority winner or a candidate wins with 50% + 1 of the vote.
Single -Winner RCV
Single-winner ranked-choice voting refers to the method of voting and counting of the votes for a single-winner contest, such as mayor, governor, or a single-winner district, when only one person is elected to the position. With ranked-choice voting, the voter ranks their candidate choices in order of preference. Then choices are counted to determine which candidate has 50% + 1 of the votes after the first round of counting or if additional rounds of counting are needed to reach a majority.
Multi-Winner RCV
Multi-winner ranked-choice voting refers to the method of voting and counting of the votes for a multi-winner contest, such as city council, school board, or legislature, when more than one individual is elected at-large or for district elections with multiple representatives within a district. With ranked-choice voting, the voter ranks their choices in order of preference. The first choices are then counted to determine which candidates have exceeded the number of votes necessary to be elected. After the first round of counting, we can determine whether additional rounds of counting are needed to fill each seat up for election.
Additional Information on Ranked Choice Voting can be found in the document attached to the staff summary.
Concerns with Ranked Choice Voting for the City of Flagstaff
Ranked Choice Voting is not a form of voting currently supported by Arizona Election Law.
Shifting to Ranked-Choice Voting would require a significant Charter change that would include at least nine separate questions. This would reduce the ability to present the other needed Charter amendments. Additionally, in order for Charter amendments to become effective, the Governor must officially approve the Charter amendments. With elections being a matter of statewide concern it is questionable as to whether the Governor will approve. If there were other Charter amendments unrelated to RCV, those would also not become effective because the Governor either approves all or none of the Charter amendments.
Ranked Choice Voting would also compromise our contract with Coconino County Elections and the City would be responsible for conducting our own elections at a significant expense to the City as explained further here. RCV would require the City to purchase our own voting equipment or be faced with hand counting of ballots. We would be responsible for ballot design, printing, and distribution. Early voting would need to be accommodated in person as well as through mail for voters who request early mail ballots and overseas voters. We would be responsible for locating and setting up polling places which would include hiring and training poll workers. With nearly 45,000 active registered voters and 26 precincts in Flagstaff, the staff in the City Clerk's office would be significantly overburdened. Significant funding and additional staff would be required to implement RCV.
A policies and procedures manual would need to be created to guide the conduct of the election. There would be no assistance or support from the state in the development of the manual because as stated above, RCV is not supported by Arizona Election Law. It would require the assistance of a consultant which would be costly and it would take a considerable amount of staff time to develop.
The other area of concern with Ranked-Choice Voting at the local level is voter confusion. Presently, voters are able to vote at one polling place using one ballot. With the implementation of RCV voters could be faced with having to vote using two separate ballots; one for local questions and one for state/county/federal questions. If voters vote by mail they would have to make sure the two ballots are voted using the appropriate method and returned in their respective envelopes to ensure they get to the appropriate locations to be counted.
In addition to multiple ballots, voters could also be faced with having to utilize two separate polling places. With the loss of the County contract, the City would need to establish its own polling places and spend staff time to familiarize voters with those new polling places. This would mean that voters would have to go to one polling place for local questions and another polling place for county/state/federal questions.
Another challenge for voters is that different methods of voting would be required for the different jurisdictions. They would be using RCV for the local races and traditional voting for the county/state/federal races. A significant amount of outreach and education would be needed to make sure voters understand the differences they will be faced with when voting.
The implementation of Ranked Choice Voting is better suited at the state level especially given the intense scrutiny on elections and proposed legislative changes regarding the conduct of elections. This would ensure uniform voting practices across jurisdictions, it would provide cities and counties the support necessary to implement, and would maintain the position of elections being a matter of statewide concern.