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CREATED:20060307T152400Z
DESCRIPTION:Berkeley City Council should respect will  of voters and implement 'free' 
 elections,  suggests Secretary of State candidate  BERKELEY - The city of 
 Berkeley should respect the will of the voters, and implement "fair 
 elections" in the upcoming November elections, said Secretary of State 
 candidate Dr. Forrest Hill, who is running for the Green Party nomination 
 in June's Primary Election.  Dr. Hill will participate in a rally TUESDAY 
 (March 7) at 6:30 p.m. in front of Old City Hall (2134 Martin Luther King 
 Jr. Way)  Dr. Hill will join other officials calling for the Berkeley City 
 Council to respect the will of Berkeley voters, who overwhelmingly passed 
 Measure I by 72 percent in 2004, and authorize the use of Instant Runoff 
 Voting in city elections.  "IRV offers a cost-effective way of insuring 
 that the winning candidate in any race is preferred by a majority of 
 voters," said Hill, adding: "As has been shown in San Francisco, it 
 promotes both greater voter turnout and reduces negative campaigning."  Dr. 
 Hill said the fact that Berkeley - once known as a liberal bastion - is 
 balking at free elections shows "just how far our democracy has fallen. Our 
 addiction to winner-take-all elections traps citizens into voting 
 defensively often forcing them to choose a candidate they do not 
 necessarily support to defeat a candidate they detest," added Dr. Hill.  
 Speakers, in addition to Dr. Hill, include Chris Jerdonek, Center for 
 Voting and Democracy; Laura Wells, Green Party candidate for Controller, 
 Chris Kavanaugh, Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board and Jesse Townley, 
 former Green Party candidate for Berkeley City Council. People from 
 Democracy Matters, the Voting Rights Task Force, the Green Party, Berkeley 
 Progressive Alliance, and others will also be attending.  -30-  Contact: 
 Cres Vellucci, press secretary 916/996-9170  Rebecca Markussen 916/456-2887 
  http://www.VoteForrest.org\n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/03/07/90683.php
SUMMARY:IRV Rally at Berkeley City Hall, 6:30 pm
LOCATION:
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/03/07/90683.php
DTSTART:20060308T023000Z
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