[EM] Kansas City Charter and Choice Voting:

[I Like Irving]

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 03/27/01
Dear Lou Traxel,

     The best proportionality will be gained by using one single area to
elect at-large.  An eight percent faction could elect one member with ease.
     But, you must be realistic to the current feelings of the public.  If
they want to continue having districts then go with your three districts
with four members each.  But, the proportionality is not as good nor as
easy.  If the eight percent faction all lived in the same district, then it
would still be able to elect one member, but that is not likely.
     To elect a member in a district it is going to require more than
twenty percent of the votes in the district.

     I agree with your suggestion of an even number in the district.
     The election may be nonpartisan, but the voters and the candidates
will still line up according to the two major parties.  An even number of
members in a district will allow them both to have a more just
proportionality.
     Also there is the question of gender proportionality.  If there are
qualified candidates of both genders, then the election method should allow
each gender to elect an equal number of members, if the voters wish to do
so.  An even number of members in the district allows this to happen.

     There are more details that can be discussed, but for your Saturday
meeting, I think the important point for you to make is about the
proportionality of Choice Voting without going too much into the details,
unless you are asked.
     I would suggest that you say something like the following:
     "In the Choice Voting method, each voter could have their vote end up
on a winning candidate.
     Each eight percent of the voters would be able to elect one member.
     Twenty-five percent would elect three members and fifty percent would
elect six.
     Every voter could be represented in the council by a member that they
helped elect."

Regards, Donald Davison


  ------------ Original Letter ------------
To: instantrunoff at yahoogroups.com
From: Lou Traxel
Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 13:54:55 -0000
Subject: [instantrunoff] Kansas City, MO Charter

Kansas City, Missouri is in the process of revising their charter and
has solicited input from the public through a series of public
meetings.  I am planning to attend the final meeting this Saturday to
push for IRV in electing the city mayor.  I am also considering
promoting choice voting in the election of city council members.
City elections are nonpartisan, and I like choice voting because it
is so similar to IRV.

The city council is currently composed of 13 elected officials
including the mayor, six at-large council members, and six district
members.  The six at-large members are elected by the entire city,
but each at-large member must live in the district for the office
they hold.

What would be the best way to implement choice voting?  Should
districts be eliminated entirely and all twelve council members
elected at-large, or should the city be split into say three
districts with four members each?  Please e-mail me with any
suggestions you may have.  I would also be interested in knowing of
any other municipalities that currently use choice voting in city
council elections.

Thanks,
Lou Traxel