Choice Voting Blog

The Sacramento Bee reported today that the special election to replace the late US Rep. Robert Matsui will be held March 8. Moreover, if no candidate receives a majority of the vote, a second runoff election will be held May 3.

According to Sacramento County's Registrar, each election will cost between $1 million and $1.2 million. Neither of these elections is consolidated, so low voter turnout is likely. Matsui's Congressional district lies entirely within the county of Sacramento and has over 300,000 voters.

Instant runoff voting (IRV) would get the job done in one election, saving over a million taxpayer dollars every time there is a special election. IRV would save time and money for the voters, candidates, and election administrators.