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[The Memphis City Council is] Undermining the Public Will

 There is the proposal by Councilman Ed Ford and others that would revoke the public’s right, already expressed via referendum, to a fair trial of instant runoff voting (IRV) in the next city election, and there is an effort by Councilman Berlin Boyd on behalf of replacing a two-term limit for council members that was only recently approved by the voters.

Find out about how the Memphis City Council threw away your vote from 2008 here.

Watch This Video to See Responses to Concerns about…

Why is IRV better than the current voting process?

New legal opinion supports case for IRV

Donati Law Firm released an opinion of the legal viability of the instant runoff voting plan to be instituted by the City of Memphis in response to the letter from State Elections Coordinator Mark Goins.

“Despite State Elections Coordinator Mark Goins’s September 26, 2017 letter to Shelby County Election Administrator Linda Phillips regarding the proposal of Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) in Memphis, Tennessee, Instant Runoff Voting does not violate current Tennessee law or the Memphis City Charter. Following Tennessee Supreme Court precedent and accepted statutory construction doctrines, IRV complies with state law and the applicable city charter provisions.” You can read the full opinion by clicking the link here: 11-28-17 Legal Opinion – Re-IRV

Shelby County Democratic Party Supports IRV!

The Shelby County Democratic Party endorses Instant Runoff Voting (IRV), also known as Ranked Choice Voting (RCV).

We ask that you please write to your City Council representatives and let them know you support this initiative.

IRV saves the city money by removing the need for runoff elections, which Smart City Memphis estimates can cost up to $250,000 dollars per election. Memphis has experienced at least one runoff election during each of the past three City Council elections.

Read the rest of the post here!

Portland Press Herald: Our View: Brennan Ranked Choice Voting…

Portland can have confidence in its new mayor and the system used to count the votes. The results are in and Michael Brennan is not the only winner in Portland’s mayoral election: The other is ranked-choice voting.

The new system of counting ballots, which attracted a high degree of skepticism from people in and around Maine’s biggest city over the last year, got its trial run Tuesday and Wednesday, and it was the skeptics who were proven wrong.

A field of 15 candidates was whittled down to a threeway race, and Brennan, the candidate who proved to have the broadest appeal, ended up the winner. He will go into office next month with a majority of voters at his back.

Read the entire article here!

State official questions legality of Memphis instant runoffs

Instant runoffs in Memphis City Council races could violate state election laws, according to a Sept. 27 opinion by Tennessee Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins…

Despite Goins’ opinion and a similar informal opinion from council attorney Allan Wade, Shelby County Administrator of Elections Linda Phillips continues to prepare to implement instant council runoffs. Phillips said her role is to administer the will of the voters, so it’s “above my pay grade” to decide against using ranked-choice voting.

Read the entire article here.

MPR News: Instant Runoff Voting Explained

Minneapolis winners, and some losers, praise ranked choice voting

Minneapolis Mayor-elect Jacob Frey and his challengers Ray Dehn and Nekima Levy-Pounds joined a handful of newly elected city officials and nonprofit FairVote Minnesota, which has been a driving force behind instituting ranked choice voting in the state.

Watch the video here.

Minneapolis Candidates Speak about Ranked Choice Voting Impact

Listen to the mayor-elect, Jacob Frey and candidates speak about ranked choice voting. View the press conference here.