Thanks to Richard Winger of Ballot Access News for this post.
A referendum question on the Nov. 3, 2015 ballot will give residents a chance to decide if the city should make a switch to a Rank-Choice Voting system.
This version of a Rank-Choice voting system would do away with primaries entirely, a part of the process that Duluth Better Ballot Campaign said are typically costly with low turnouts.
Instead of a primary, voters would go to the polls only once in November and rank choices in order of preference. This would lead to a more civil campaign where candidates appeal to not only their base, but voters with whom they might be a second or third choice.
"It's more democratic. It gives more power to the voters and this current primary system as you see the participation is going way down. We should move onto a more modern system that is more reflective of the voter's needs," said Robert Wahman, Chair for the Duluth Better Ballot Campaign.
Supporters said the Minnesota Supreme Court has upheld the system and maintained that the way votes are counted in a ranked choice system preserves the one person, one vote principle.
If the referendum passes, Duluth would join Minneapolis and St. Paul among other cities in using ranked choice voting.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
