50. Support Instant Runoff Elections

WHEREAS counties in Hawai`i are under increasing budget pressure; and

WHEREAS many counties hold a non-partisan primary and a non-partisan general election (often called a runoff election) in order to guarantee that elected local officials have the support of a majority of voters; and

WHEREAS holding two elections is a burden on the taxpayers, the candidates and their supporters; and

WHEREAS other counties in the United States are increasingly consolidating the non-partisan primary with the non-partisan general election (or runoff election) into one, instant runoff voting election; and

WHEREAS instant runoff voting allows voters to rank all the candidates in order of preference, and if a runoff is needed, the last vote getter is eliminated and the second-choice of his or her voters is awarded those votes, and this process continues until someone has a majority, eliminating the need for a second, separate election; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Democratic Party of Maui calls on the Hawai`i Legislature to pass legislation authorizing the use of instant runoff voting in elections and primaries. so that Hawai`i can consolidate elections and relieve the burden on taxpayers, the candidates and their financial supporters.