Instant Runoff Voting

This is the first post for the blog I just created.

I have never had a blog before, so I don't really know the "rules" for blogging. Basically, I hope to use this blog to spread my ideas regarding government reform. The biggest issue I hope to solve is the Two-Party System, because along with a vast majority of U.S. citizens, I am not the least bit supportive of this powerhouse promotion network. However, I think I have a realistic way to slowly deteriorate this system, however this will require both support and demand from many people.

This idea is called Instant Runoff Voting, and some people may have heard of it already.

This is not my idea, but an idea I've come across on several internet sites. The idea is simple:

• Instead of voting for one candidate in an election, and just one candidate you RANK the candidates in order of preference.
• When there is no initial majority winner, a recount can be conducted without a whole new election to determine who voters actually prefer, by taking the 2nd ranked votes for each of the candidates and adding them to the 1st ranked ones. This continues until 1 candidate has a majority of votes.

This system allows for 3rd party candidates to actually have a chance, and actually impact an election. Had this system been implemented in the 2000 presidential election, Al Gore would have won Florida, and there we would have a different president.

This is a major change from traditional voting, but it could be quite successful. It is a growing system, being used in the state of Vermont, and some cities, including San Francisco. The fact that it has been implemented in Vermont and San Francisco proves that it is possible for reforms to be made, even at the state level.

In order to have legislation passed to get Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) at the federal level, I have devised a plan:

A. Push IRV at the city level.

1. Create a demand for IRV. First from city to city, people need to be informed. A great resource for this in smaller cities and towns is writing an article in a local paper, and bring it up at local city coucil meeting and things of that sort.
2. Candidates use IRV as part of platform. Once candidates see demand, they will use this as a platform in their campaigns, so it will become a major priority for cities to reform.
3. Candidates make local reforms to IRV style voting.
4. State Representatives are elected through IRV.

B. Push IRV at the state level.

1. State representatives advocate reform. State reps will be elected through IRV style voting, and will advocate its reform at State Senates.
   
2. State government reform. State reps will eventually become advocates of IRV as the idea spreads through cities and more cities elect the state reps in this fashion. This in turn leads to reform at the state government level.
3. Congressmen elected through IRV. Through the reforms at the state level, now congressmen will be elected in this manner, planting advocates of the process in seats of the Federal Government.

C. Ultimate Goal: Federal Reform.

1. Congressmen push IRV. Congressmen will be elected using IRV, and will in turn support and acknowledge this at the federal level.
   
2. Federal governtment passes legislation to change the format of Presidential Elections. Enough support will have been built up by this point, as IRV has become topic of discussion in the mainstream media, while congressmen who were elected through the process become advocates of it. Finally, the president who the MAJORITY of people want will be elected.