SF Supervisors Consider Revamp, Repeal Of Ranked-Choice Voting
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) - San Francisco's ranked-choice voting system is being flushed out before the Board of Supervisors.
Thursday, the board's rules committee took a first look at dueling proposals that have submitted as amendments to the city's charter - one would repeal ranked-choice voting and return the city's elections to a simple runoff process. Another proposal would keep and perhaps even expand the process.
Currently, San Francisco elections are governed by ranked choice voting - meaning voters "rank" their top three choices - in order of preference. The lowest vote-getters are eliminated and the votes recounted until one candidate secures a majority.
It's a system that has plenty of support - and plenty of critics, too.
KCBS' Barbara Taylor Reports:
"Ranked-choice voting has brought strong benefits to the city and I just wonder what are the problems?" one woman declared her support for ranked-choice voting during the public comments period of the hearing.
"I am strongly, strongly against the current system of ranked-choice voting," a man said emphatically. "I prefer the old system."
Critics also are citing the November 2011 election as reason enough to eliminate ranked-choice voting, claiming the mayoral contest was confusing and suffered from low turnout specifically because of the system.
(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
