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View Poll Results: Are runoff elections necessary?
Yes 4 40.00%
No 6 60.00%
Voters: 10. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 08-10-2010, 08:30 PM
 
Location: Marietta, GA
7,887 posts, read 17,185,835 times
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Given today is the 2010 runoff election, I wanted to sample some opinions on whether or not we need runoff elections. Most states rely on pluralities and only a small number or states, southern states, require an absolute majority for a candidate to win.

Are runoff elections necessary? Is holding them worth the money spent by the state and counties? Do we get a better or more fair result, or are runoff elections just a vestige of the old south and the past racial policies here in GA? Some states, namely Kentucky and Florida, have recently abolished runoff elections.

Last edited by neil0311; 08-10-2010 at 08:38 PM..
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Old 08-11-2010, 10:33 AM
 
Location: Marietta, GA
7,887 posts, read 17,185,835 times
Reputation: 3706
Guess no one has an opinion. Mods should feel free to delete the thread. I wasn't able.
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Old 08-11-2010, 02:08 PM
 
3,708 posts, read 5,982,315 times
Reputation: 3036
I have an opinion: it's definitely a step in the right direction if you're interested in breaking a 2-party strangehold on the political system.

Instant runoff voting allows this to happen with a lot less runoff pandering, however, and would be my real preference.
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Old 08-11-2010, 02:48 PM
 
Location: Marietta, GA
7,887 posts, read 17,185,835 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by testa50 View Post
I have an opinion: it's definitely a step in the right direction if you're interested in breaking a 2-party strangehold on the political system.

Instant runoff voting allows this to happen with a lot less runoff pandering, however, and would be my real preference.
Why not follow the system that most states rely upon....the person with the most votes on election day wins? If they win with a plurality....that's fine.

The strategy now is for candidates to simply finish in the top 2...and then hope they can drive more turnout than the other person....in an election where maybe 25% of the registered voters actually vote.

So what you have is an election with low but more substantial turnout that produces a result....and then you throw that out...and substitute the will of that election with a subset of those voters. Oh...and all at a huge cost to the state and counties.
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Old 08-11-2010, 04:47 PM
 
Location: Triangle, North Carolina
2,819 posts, read 10,399,983 times
Reputation: 1519
Seems to be a slow week Neil. Let's keep it running.

As far as the question, NO I think they are costly and do not hold value.
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Old 08-15-2010, 04:40 PM
 
Location: Brunswick, Georgia
15 posts, read 39,904 times
Reputation: 15
I am for doing away with them, anything to save money.
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