The New York City Council has identified instant runoff voting, and the end of citywide runoff elections, as one of several dozen budget and legislative priorities in Albany, according to a report to be released by Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito today. The report outlines 35 priorities that the council will be championing in the state capital this year.
Ms. Mark-Viverito is slated to join Mayor de Blasio on Tuesday for a day of lobbying in Albany.
Last year, no Democratic candidate for public advocate attained 40% of the vote in the September primary, resulting in an Oct. 1 runoff election that cost the taxpayers $13 million, which is more than the entire budget of the office of public advocate for four years.
The possibility of a runoff election also forced the Board of Elections to use the old lever voting machines because officials said there wasn't enough turnaround time to use the new electronic scanners.
Ms. Mark-Viverito, who became speaker in January, said the council is supporting legislation in Albany that would abolish runoff elections and create what is called "instant runoff voting" in which voters rank candidates by preference instead of casting a ballot for a single person. Instant runoff voting would eliminate the need for a separate runoff election because voters' preferences are recorded in one trip to the ballot box.
"The issue of being able to rank candidates and save money to the budget is important," Ms. Mark-Viverito said.
The council is also calling on the state to establish early voting, noting in its report how city polling sites have been plagued by long lines during presidential elections.
Alex Camarda, director of public policy and advocacy for Citizens Union, a civic group, said instant runoff elections make for more civil, substantive campaigns because candidates know voters will be ranking them. "I think there's much more momentum behind this than in past years," he said.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!
Michael H. Drucker
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