The proposed text for Ranked-Choice Voting Regulations and Ballot Standards looks good with the exception of the 4 items listed below. Please consider these changes:
1. Under 1VAC20-100-10. Definitions:
The definition of "Round" should have the word "continued" inserted for it to read:
"Round" means a stage of the vote tabulation in which a candidate may be elected, continued, or eliminated.
2. Under 1VAC20-100-30. Ranked choice voting, item #3:
The words "a primary" should be replaced with "an election", and the word "three" should be replaced with "two" for it to read:
No ranked choice voting may be conducted for an election with fewer than two candidates.
The reason for deleting "primary" is that §24.2-673.1 says nothing about primaries.
The reason for deleting "three" is the strong possibility of defeating the will of the voters
if an election - with only two candidates on the ballot - were decided by the plurality vote and there were a large number of write-ins for a third person.
3. Under 1VAC20-100-40. Ballot treatment, item 2:
The word "tied" should be inserted for it to read:
Tie breaking. All tied candidates with the fewest number of votes at the end of a round shall be eliminated from the election.
4. Under 1VAC20-100-60. Paper ballots:
The word "must" should be replaced with "may" to read:
For the purposes of this section, "paper ballot" means a tangible ballot that is marked by a voter and may be manually counted.
Or:
For the purposes of this section, "paper ballot" means a tangible ballot that is marked by a voter and must be manually countable.
It is imperative to bring an end to the plurality-winner election tradition in Virginia if we are ever to have fair elections. I'm grateful the General Assembly has recognized this goal as being best accomplished with instant-runoff elections using ranked-choice ballots.
