The new Instant Runoff Voting system that was used for the first time in Minneapolis last week could show some more final results Wednesday, which is, amazingly, faster than originally expected, the Star Tribune says.
This brings a different meaning to the word "instant," notes a commenter on the paper's website. And maybe that's why it's often called Ranked Choice Voting.
Happily, they're finding relatively few errors on the ballots, reports MPR.
Ballots in the new system must be hand-counted and verified before being entered into a computer. While winners in some races — like the mayor's race where incumbent Mayor R.T. Rybak easily surpassed the 50 percent margin needed — have been declared. But in closer races, the system requires tabulation of a voter's second or even third choice, before it's determined which candidate is elected.
Officials had said earlier it could take many weeks for results.
Several races may be announced Wednesday, the paper says, but the closest council races, in the Fourth and Fifth Wards, won't come until a later batch of counting.
More like this
- Ranked-choice voting can break Minnesota's cycle of plurality winners
- Instant Runoff Voting would help two of Minnesota's three parties
- St. Paul ready to give Ranked Voting its first try
- Not again? Minneapolis says city election next month could take 8 weeks to count
- Minneapolis elections coverage: The fall decline
Most Commented