Runoff elections occur in the case of a tie, but to avoid the extra expenses of another election, some cities use ranked-choice voting, which is also referred to as instant-runoff voting.
Most recently during the 2014 midterm election, a runoff had to be held in Louisiana after incumbent Sen. Mary Landrieu received only 42 percent of the vote. After a month of more campaigning, Republican Rep. Bill Cassidy won the seat in the rematch,
according to PBS.
Last summer, Alabama had a runoff election for several partisan positions, and it cost the state $3 million,
according to The Associated Press. That does not include the advertising done by candidates for the runoff election.
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In an effort to avoid the costs of runoff elections, some cities have been using ranked-choice elections,
according to the Alameda County, California, website.
Ranked-choice voting, also known as instant-runoff voting, allows electors to select their top three choices for each position in order of preference.
Ballots that use ranked-choice voting are designed with side-by-side columns listing the names of the candidates running three times. Voters choose their first-choice for the position in the initial column, their second-choice in the middle and their third-choice in the final.
Like all elections, if a candidate receives more than 50 percent of the votes, he or she will be elected. If they do not, however, using the instant-runoff voting, an elimination process begins. The candidate receiving the least amount of votes will no longer be included.
Those who voted for the eliminated candidate will have their votes transferred to their second-choice candidate. The process continues until one person receives the majority of the votes.
Voters are not required to select a second-choice or third-choice candidate. They may vote for the same individual on all three occasions, but it will not benefit that candidate.
Ranked-choice voting may also be used for multi-seat
elections, according to FairVote. Using a specified threshold of votes, candidates who obtain that threshold will be elected. Excess votes are counted toward a voters’ second choice, and the candidate with the least votes is eliminated. Those who voted for that candidate will have their votes moved to their second-choice candidate, and the process will continue until all seats are filled.
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