Victory for Instant Run-off Voting in Oakland

Victory for Instant Run-off Voting in Oakland

by Jonathan Nack December 6, 2009

OAKLAND - Advocates of Instant Runoff Voting rejoiced last night after the Oakland City Council voted to implement Ranked Choice Voting (a form of Instant Runoff Voting) for local elections this year. The decision came more than three years after Oakland voters approved Ranked Choice Voting (RCV).

Oakland's decision is expected to be followed by similar decisions by the cities of Berkeley and San Leandro, where voters have also approved RCV. Berkeley voters have already waited five years, since voting for RCV, without it being implemented.

The long delay in implementation was caused by resistance at every level of government in California. The Secretary of State of California, and the Alameda County Registrar of Voters each contributed to the delay by taking unseemly amounts of time to certify the process and the equipment needed for it.

A formidable progressive coalition in support of RCV was responsible for winning the day despite government resistance. A hundred citizens turned out for the City Council meeting to demand implementation. Speakers included representatives from the Green Party, Peace & Freedom Party, a number of Democratic Party clubs including the Young Democrats, The League of Women Voters, the Alameda County Central Labor Council, the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy, and community groups such as Just Cause Oakland and Oakland Rising.

A number of community groups pledged to help the City educate voters regarding RCV and how they can vote under the system, with special emphasis on reaching out to African American, Latino, Asian, and other communities of color.

It was this coalition which spearheaded the campaign for RCV in November of 2006, which won the support of 69 percent of the voters.

The Oakland City Council had never voted in support of RCV until last night, when they voted 6 to 2 to implement it. Council members Nancy Nadel, Rebecca Kaplan, Patricia Kernighan, and Jean Quan have supported RCV. Council members Desley Brooks and Larry Reid joined with them last night, each indicating that they did so with reservations, but out of respect for the voter mandate for RCV.

An attempt by Councilmember Ignacio de la Fuente to delay the implementation of RCV for another election cycle failed.

After the vote, Councilmember Quan, who is a candidate for Mayor of Oakland, chatted with RCV supporters in the hallway. She credited the large community turnout for winning the additional votes needed

With RCV in place, Oakland voters will no longer feel limited to vote only for candidates which are well funded and well known, or feel constrained to vote for “the lesser evil.” They will be able to rank their votes. Advocates hope RCV will open up elections to a wider variety of candidates and political parties.