VIDEO: Business Groups: "Ranked Choice Voting Will Save Taxpayers Money"

Related Media

Susan Lerner, from Common Cause/NY, speaking about RCV

NEW YORK, NY (10/11/2019) (readMedia)-- On Friday, Councilman Eric Ulrich, former Councilman Dan Garodnick, previously Chair of the Committee on Economic Development, the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, and other business and good government groups joined together to urge voters to support Ranked Choice Voting as a cost saving alternative to our current elections.

WATCH the presser here.

Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) gives voters the option to rank their top five candidates in local New York City primary and special elections. If voters still want to vote for just one candidate, they can. A candidate who collects a majority of the vote, fifty percent plus one, wins. If there's no majority winner, then the last place candidate will be eliminated and the second choice votes for that candidate are redistributed. The process is repeated until there is a majority winner.

"Ranked Choice Voting will save tax-payer dollars while producing majority support winners," said Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause/NY. "It's a win-win for New Yorkers."

Ranked Choice Voting (RCV), which will be Question 1 on the NYC ballot during the general election, is a critical voting reform that saves taxpayer money by avoiding costly citywide run-offs.

Run-off elections are low turnout, high cost elections, far exceeding the per-vote costs of a primary or general election. Since 2009, there have been three costly run-off elections for citywide offices in New York City, totalling roughly $21M.

In 2013, during the run-off election for public advocate, taxpayers spent an additional $10.4 million for an election w/ just 7% turnout -- that's $51.20 per vote. And in 2009, where there was a run-off for both Public Advocate and NYC Comptroller, the cost to New York City taxpayers was $48.90 per vote -- there was a turn out of 8% of eligible voters.

"It does not make any sense to win a special election and then have to run again months later. It is a complete waste of taxpayer dollars and it can decrease voter turnout," said Councilman Eric Ulrich. "Ranked choice voting is a commonsense solution that gives people more options – all while making our election process more efficient and cost effective."

"I participated in too many City Council budget meetings where we were scraping together the necessary funds for libraries, shelter beds for homeless youth, domestic violence victims, and everything in between," said former Council Member Dan Garodnick. "Let's not waste our money on elections that nobody cares about. Ranked choice voting is good for democracy and good for the city's bottom line."

"Preserving our democracy depends on protecting the concept of majority rule. Ranked choice voting will help ensure that minority interests do not dominate our local elections," said Kathy Wylde, President of the Partnership for New York City.

"New York City is a global leader in innovation and our vibrant civic culture is a model for cities around the country. However, when it comes to voting and elections, our city has been behind," said Julie Samuels, Executive Director of Tech:NYC. "While the state legislature recently passed a number of needed reforms, there is still more to be done. Ranked-choice voting would be an important step towards better and more efficient elections, and we hope the majority of New Yorkers cast their vote for the measure come November."

"New Yorkers will only have to vote once in primary elections, instead of having to come back for additional runoff elections if no candidate gets a majority of the vote. People's second choices will be counted instantly instead of weeks later, saving time and taxpayer money. This is a commonsense, cost-savings solution and we urge all voters to vote yes on one starting October 26!" said Carol Kellermann, civic advocate.

"Ranked-choice voting is a win-win for the city's budget, its residents, and the businesses that call New York home. This common-sense idea will save the city (and its taxpayers) money, ensure that the intentions of voters are heard, and make elections more convenient for all. This is a no-brainer. The policy should be adopted at once," said Jessica Walker, President and CEO of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce.

"This fall, New Yorkers will have the opportunity to strengthen our democracy by voting to bring Ranked Choice Voting to city elections. As someone who ran for Citywide office and participated in a runoff election, I know from personal experience that Ranked Choice Voting is necessary for New York. Ranked Choice Voting will foster more positive, issue-focused campaigns, give voters more choice, ensure that elected officials are accountable to a broader spectrum of their constituents and avoid costly, time consuming and unnecessary runoff elections. Citizens Union encourages all New Yorkers to vote yes on Question 1 in November," said Betsy Gotbaum, Executive Director, Citizens Union.

Background:

Other cities like San Francisco, Minneapolis and Santa Fe, and countries like Australia and Ireland have implemented Ranked Choice Voting to great success. Maine will use Ranked Choice Voting to select their presidential nominee.

Most candidates win crowded elections in New York City by campaigning to their base, and fail to get a majority. With Ranked Choice Voting, candidates will be forced to campaign to the broader electorate in the hopes of being ranked second or third. Ranked Choice Voting helps create consensus candidates with majority support.

In the last three election cycles in New York City, sixty-three percent of multi-candidate primaries were won with less than 50% of the vote, 30% were won with less than 40%, and nearly 10% were won with less than 30%. In 2021, close to 70% of the New York City Council members, and all five borough presidents, the Comptroller and Mayor, will be term limited. The New York City Campaign Finance Board is already anticipating the opening of at least 500 campaign committees, which averages to 12 candidates per race.

In early April, Common Cause/NY released a new analysis that builds on a previous report -- The Case for Ranked Choice Voting in New York City -- which quantifies the prevalence of multi-candidate primaries in the last three election cycles in NYC. The study found:

• Over the last three election cycles, the average number of candidates ranged from 4 to 5.
• Over the last three election cycles, less than 15% of multi-candidate primaries with 4 or more candidates produced majority support winners.
• In 2013, the last primary election cycle with a wave of open seats, no race with 4 or more candidates produced a majority support winner.