[Mpls] 2nd Ward DFL Convention rule problems - the IRV solution

[Jeanne Massey]

Greg Abbot"
If the problem you're trying to solve is overly long conventions, the
solution is a stricter drop-off rule, not a weaker one.  Speed up the
arrival of the point where the delegates have to make a final choice -
postponing it only extends the convention needlessly (and thereby makes an
endorsement less likely).

Response:
Overly long conventions, the lack of an endorsed candidate, dwindling
attendance - all of these problems can be solved through the use of instant
runoff voting, which would result in an endorsed candidate without
successive runoffs and drop offs.  As a voting mechanism, IRV is an
efficient and effective tool, and not prone to manipulation and game
playing.  

Disagreement over the proposed ward rules would be resolved as all of the
rules would be completely unnecessary. 

Instant runoff voting is straightforward and would work like this (at the
time of quorum - whatever it is the delegates decide):

1) All delegates cast their vote, ranking the candidates 1, 2, 3, (up to
however many candidates there are), all on the first and only ballot. (Note
you can rank as many candidates as you want.) If a candidate gets a majority
of the votes on the first round, he or she wins. 

2) If not, the candidate with the least votes is eliminated and the votes
for this candidate are transferred to the voters' second choice candidate
and ALL of the ballots are recounted. If a candidate gets a majority of the
votes, he or she wins. If not, the candidate with the least number of votes
is eliminated and the votes for this candidate are transferred to the
voters' third choice and round three of counting occurs.

3) Rounds of counting occur until a candidate with a majority of support
wins. 

IRV is simply a series of runoff votes, but preferences are indicated all at
once on the first ballot through a ranking process. The wait time is simply
the counting time of the run off ballots, not in re-voting and waiting for
an endorsed candidate.  

In this method, all the proposed rules become irrelevant:

Proposed rule: Keeping a candidate with less than 10% support on the ballot
through three ballots rather than just one.  

With IRV: Candidates with the least support are sequentially and
automatically eliminated.

Proposed rule: Allowing a motion of "No Endorsement" after just two ballots
rather than the standard of three.

With IRV: An endorsement is guaranteed.

Proposed rule: Limiting the number of endorsement ballots to just five
rather than the standard of an unlimited number.  

With IRV: There's only one ballot - the first one.

Proposed rule: Limiting the length of the convention to just three hours
rather than the standard of being open until business is done.  

With IRV: The result is known as quickly as the counting process can be
accomplished. 

Endorsement conventions are a good opportunity to experiment with instant
runoff voting as a party. It's used as a voting tool by various
organizations to elect its leadership. 

There are people through FairVote MN, possibly the League of MN Voters (as
the organization recently completed a study on how IRV works), and others
who could assist in setting up the ballot and with the counting process.  

Jeanne Massey
Kingfield