[EM] CVD email newsletter 22 Nov 2000

[DEMOREP1 at aol.com]

items in the newsletter -- complain to CVD and not me about IRV.
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* IRV is the Law in Oakland, California: Voters passed charter

amendments on instant runoff voting on November 8th in

Oakland and San Leandro, California. The San Leandro

measure creates an IRV option, while the Oakland measure

enacts IRV for any special election to fill a city council

vacancy. See also why the St. Petersburg Times, one of our

most respected newspapers, believes IRV is better than runoffs. 

    http://www.fairvote.org/irv/irvwins.htm

    http://www.fairvote.org/op_eds/stpete.htm


* Growing Call for IRV for President from the Wall Street

Journal to the Village Voice: There is increasing talk of

eliminating the "spoiler" charge and minority rule once and for

all by adopting instant runoff voting for electing the president.

Most advocate IRV in a direct election, but as argued by some

proponents of maintaining the Electoral College, it also could

be used on a state-by-state basis with mere statutory changes in

states. U.S. PIRG has endorsed direct election with IRV,

Common Cause expressed strong interest in the idea in a post-

election release and many columns have run addressing the

ideas. Among several recent excellent commentaries and news

stories on IRV are ones by David Kairys in the Washington

Post, by Hendrik Hertzberg in The New Yorker magazine and

by CVD's John Anderson, Rob Richie and Steve Hill in several

publications. The Trenton Times reiterated its support in an

editorial, the Wall Street Journal and Village Voice wrote

indepth news article and much more. See:

   http://www.fairvote.org/op_eds/pres_irv.htm

   http://www.fairvote.org/op_eds/wallstreet.htm

   http://www.fairvote.org/op_eds/electoral_college.htm

   http://www.fairvote.org/op_eds/realspoiler.htm

   http://www.votersdecide.com [US PIRG statement]

   http://www.commoncause.org/publications/florida/lessons.htm

   http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0047/solomon.shtml


* New Legislation to Study Pro-Democracy Reforms, Including

Proportional Representation and Instant Runoff Voting:

Representatives Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Jim Leach (R-IA)

have introduced HR 5631 to study proportional representation,

instant runoff voting and other pro-democracy reforms in the

wake of the Florida controversy. Urge your representative to

support this legislation and find out more at

    http://www.fairvote.org/library/statutes/ferc.htm


* Columnists Learn Lessons from Florida: William Raspberry

wrote powerfully about the need to question the winner-take-all

principle, citing the work of CVD. A Seattle 

Times political writer also touts proportional representation,

CVD board member George Pillsbury calls for reform in a

Boston Globe commentary and four columnists in the Nation

tout instant runoff voting and reform of winner-take-all

elections. See Lani Guinier's piece below and

   http://www.fairvote.org/op_eds/florida.htm

   http://www.thenation.com [pieces in 12/4/00 issue by

     Christopher Hitchens, William Greider and Theodore Lowi]


* Attention to No-Choice House Races: Strong articles and

commentaries discuss the roots of the problem of little electoral

competition in U.S. House races in USA Today, Reuters and

Slate, with CVD featured.

   http://www.fairvote.org/op_eds/cong2000.htm