On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > It is a shame that state law prevents cities and counties from > implementing IRV for local races. I hope that enough or these units of local government > will resolve that IRV is the way to go and having done so, influence state > legislators to make IRV possible to implement legally. Perhaps we'll have a > better form of democratic government if they do so. I think the Minneapolis DFL > should lead the way by including IRV in our platform. IRV is my new "litmus test" > for would-be political office holders.
David Shove responded: I believe this is possible in any of the dozens of home-rule cities in MN. A city can achieve home-rule by a process independent of the Leg. Given the hostility of the Leg to IRV etc, home-rule seems to be a necessary first step. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract Jeanne Massey: My understanding is that there is the authority of home rule cities to adopt a voting method of their own choosing. According to Tony Solgard of Fairvote Minnesota, the municipal elections law was amended last session to make it even clearer that home rule cities have authority to choose their voting method. There are 107 home rule cities, including Minneapolis. For a list, see http://www.sos.state.mn.us/Online_Blue_Book/chap6/MNCities.html. A ballot initiative to amend the city charter is required for Minneapolis to adopt IRV method of voting. See http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/elections/citizen-petition/index.asp#TopOfPa ge I'm an advocate of IRV voting and would like to see this change in Minneapolis, essentially replacing primaries. While important at the local level, I think the bigger value of IRV is at the state and federal levels. As stated in earlier posts, IRV voting at the state level is unlikely to happen anytime soon. Still, it's important to move forward in everyway possible. At the state level, the most important legislation in the coming session related to IRV will be the Help America Vote Act appropriation. As a recent Minneapolis City Council resolution advocates, that appropriation should include a change in voting equipment certification standards for new equipment to support ranked and cumulative ballots. It will be much harder to advocate for IRV, locally or at the state level, if newly purchased electronic voting equipment doesn't come ready to count votes the IRV way. Contact your Minneapolis legislators to support such legislation. See http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/council/2004-meetings/20041022/Docs/IRV-Voti ng-Equipment-Resl.pdf. Jeanne Massey Kingfield ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
