INSTANT RUNOFF VOTING INFORMATION

Cary Voters Only

How IRV Works

1. IRV uses ranked ballots to simulate a traditional runoff in a single round of voting. Voters rank candidates in order of preference. They may rank as many or as few candidates as they wish, with lower rankings never counting against higher rankings.
2. First choices are tabulated. If a candidate receives a majority of first choices, he or she is elected.                     It's Our Duty to Vote
3. If no candidate receives a majority of first choices, the candidate receiving the fewest first choices is eliminated. Ballots cast for the eliminated candidate are now counted toward those voters' second choices.
4. This process continues until one candidate receives a majority and is elected.

          Watch Flash Demo on Instant Runoff Voting Click Here

          Watch Video Instant Runoff Voting  Click Here

          Instant Runoff Voting Web site  Click Here

          Who's behind Instant Runoff Voting  Click Here

           Demonstration Ballot Wake County BOE Click Here

Instant Runoff Voting - Easy as 1, 2, 3

Cary will use a new method of voting for the October 9 election, which makes a separate runoff unnecessary.  

A FACTSHEET FOR CANDIDATES, JULY 2007BY THE WAKE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS

Background: 

• A 2006 law (HB-1024, Session Law 2006-192) allows a limited number of cities and counties to use a new method of voting called Instant Runoff Voting, which combines Election Day and the Runoff into one election. 

• Instant Runoff Voting lets voters select their first choice and back-up choices “instantly,” by ranking candidates: 1, 2, 3.  Because a separate runoff is not needed, it saves money and elects a winner with more voter participation. 

• The Town of Cary, Wake County Board of Elections, and State Board of Elections all approved Cary’s participation in this program.  Instant Runoff Voting will be used for each office where three or more candidates have filed to run.

 How it works:

• First round of counting:  Voters choose up to three candidates in the order of their preference: 1st, 2nd, 3rd.  (Nobody has to choose more candidates than they want to.)  Only the voters’ first-choices are tallied in the first round of ballot counting.  A candidate who gets a majority of first-choices wins.
• Second round:  If no one gets a majority after provisional ballots are reviewed, the top two candidates advance to the next round, called the “instant runoff,” and the others are eliminated.  In this round of counting, a vote goes to whichever finalist is ranked higher on the ballot.  The candidate with the majority of votes wins. 
• Example:  If candidates X and Y are in the “instant runoff,” they (a) keep all their first-choice votes and (b) get additional votes only from voters whose first-choices were cut.  If voter A’s first-choice is cut, A’s ballot is reviewed to see if X or Y is ranked higher. This second round occurs at the Wake Co. Board of Elections office. 

 The benefits:The Wake County Board of Elections points out the benefits of using Instant Runoff Voting:

• It ensures higher voter turnout than when voters are asked to return for a runoff, and makes government more representative with a winner chosen by more voters.
• It can improve the tone of campaigns because candidates may want an opponent’s supporters to rank them 2nd, in case the opponent is cut in the first round.
• It saves taxpayers and candidates money.  The Town of Cary will save about $62,000 by not holding a runoff.  Candidates can better budget their campaign, knowing there is only one election.