The Independent View: NYC Could Get Instant Run-Off Voting for City-Wide Party Primaries

Thanks to Richard Winger of Ballot Access News for this post.

On June 17, the New York State Senate passed So4586, 60-2, which would use instant run-off voting for party primaries in New York City for the offices of Mayor, Public Advocate, and Comptroller. The sponsor of the bill is Senator Andrew J. Lanza (R-Staten Island) and co-sponsored by Senator Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan).

The current process is to have a run-off election of the top-two vote-getters, 21 days in 2013, after the primary.

1. If there is more than two candidates for the same office and a run-off is needed, it will be conducted by Instant Run-Off Voting with voters ranking up to five candidates.

2. If no candidate gets 50% +1 there will be a second round. Only the Top-Two candidates votes will be counted. Each ballot is counted as a vote for whichever of the two advancing candidates is ranked higher by that voter. Those voters who did not have those candidates as their choice will not be counted. The candidate with the most votes shall be declared the winner.

3. The voter can rank only one Write-In candidate.

4. This act shall take effect January 1, 2016.

The bill passed the State Senate with a voice vote.

The bill is also introduced in the Assembly as A05571.

The legislation will also save New York City at least $13 million, the cost of the last runoff election for Public Advocate in 2013, and ensure better participation. In 2013, 16.4 percent of registered Democrats voted in the primary election for public advocate. Only 5.7 percent turned out for the runoff election, a staggering decline of 345,089 voters, or 65 percent.

There is very little time for the Assembly to vote on their version, AB 5571, because the session end on June 15, but has been extend until June 23.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said he will call Special Sessions every day until all issues are voted on.

But 805,738 independent registered voters will still be unable to take part in the closed primaries. There also are 165,047 minor party voters.

CLICK HERE to read the S04586 text.

UPDATE
The New York legislature has adjourned. The Assembly didn’t vote on SB 4586, which would have provided for Instant Runoff Voting for New York City’s primaries for the three citywide executive positions. The Senate had passed it on June 17.