More Choice San Diego Submits Measure for Ballot Consideration

SAN DIEGO, April 29, 2020 (Newswire.com) - More choice, more voice, more diverse ideas, and more civil elections.

California and San Diego voters, in particular, have set the standard for advancing nonpartisan election reforms that give all voters more voice and more choice. Now, a broad and ideologically diverse coalition has proposed a simple, fair, and easy election reform.

More Choice San Diego, which includes a nonpartisan group of community leaders, including the League of Women Voters San Diego, San Diego’s Independent Voter Project (author of 2016’s successful Measure K), the Committee for Ranked Choice Voting, and independent Councilman Mark Kersey, have submitted a proposal for the November ballot where four, instead of two, candidates advance out of the primary election.

How RCV San Diego Works

As a voter, you can still vote for only one candidate in the November general election, or you can rank the four candidates in order of preference (first choice, second choice, and so on). If no candidate receives a majority of first-place votes, the candidate with the least number of votes is defeated. If that candidate was your first choice, your vote is automatically transferred to your second choice. This process is repeated until a candidate has a majority of the vote.

Elections for San Diego mayor, city attorney and City Council would be decided by Ranked Choice Voting starting in 2022.

The group's proposal reads in part: 

“to amend Article II Section 10 of the City Charter to advance the top four candidates, instead of two, to the general election and adding a Section 10.5 to provide Ranked Choice Voting in the general election.”

Elected Officials Praise Ranked Choice Voting

Mark Kersey, who became an independent last year after leaving the Republican Party said, “It’s harder to run a really negative campaign when you also have to focus on getting people’s second-choice votes. This reform is something that is catching on around the nation as voters get increasingly sick of partisan bickering."

Congressman Scott Peters, who sees the national vitriol working in Washington D.C., agreed with Kersey that the switch would lead to “nicer,” more respectful campaigns.

Frequently Asked Question

Q. Will this change the current top two primary ballot system?

A.    In San Diego, the current nonpartisan primary system means the top two vote-getters advance to the general election, regardless of party affiliation. Under More Choice San Diego, instead of the top two candidates advancing, the top four candidates, regardless of party affiliation, would advance to the general election for City offices.

Contact: [email protected]
Attn: Ed Chaplin

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Source: More Choice San Diego