Tag: California

CA

  • 2026 Election: Irvine’s Measure D would change how the council is elected

    | Victoria Le | Orange County Register |

    Irvine is asking voters to decide whether the city should switch from its traditional, one-candidate election system, to a ranked-choice voting system for councilmember and mayor races starting in 2028.

    If Measure D is approved by voters, the city could shoulder the unique costs related to being the first to adopt ranked-choice voting in Orange County, including the cost of educating voters and modifying county voting machines and election materials to accommodate.

    “Majority support”

    “In Irvine, candidates are regularly elected with less than one-third of the vote. Which means two-thirds of voters are represented by someone they don’t want. That is not real democracy,” Councilmember Kathleen Treseder said in the argument in favor that appears with the ballot. “Ranked Choice Voting guarantees that Irvine residents elect officeholders who win majority support. And it’s cost-effective. This is what real democracy looks like.”

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  • Voters in three cities will decide on ballot measures to implement ranked-choice voting in local elections on Nov. 3

    | Lara Bonatesta | Ballotpedia |

    On Nov. 3, voters in Irvine, California, Honolulu, Hawaii, and Longmont, Colorado, will decide on ballot measures that would require ranked-choice voting (RCV) in mayoral and city council elections. The measure in Honolulu would also require RCV to elect the city’s prosecuting attorney.

    “Six localities are scheduled to begin using RCV in 2027”

    Currently, three states use RCV statewide. Alaska and Maine use RCV in some federal and statewide elections, while Hawaii uses it for certain statewide elections. An additional five states have statutes authorizing the use of RCV for local elections.

    Forty-one localities in 14 states, as well as Washington, D.C., use or are scheduled to use RCV. Two of those localities, Washington, D.C. and Multnomah County, Oregon, began or will begin using RCV this year. An additional six localities are scheduled to begin using RCV in 2027.

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  • Irvine Voters to Decide on Upgrading Elections for Ranked Choice Voting

    | Michaela Gonzalez Montaner | Voter Choice Irvine |

    IRVINE, CA — This November, Irvine voters will have the opportunity to improve their local elections and strengthen representative democracy by voting YES on Measure D, a ballot measure to adopt ranked choice voting (RCV) for future mayoral and city council races.

    “Voters can vote their conscience every time”

    “Ranked choice voting means voters can vote their conscience every time without fear of wasting their vote,” said Branda Lin, the Director of Voter Choice Irvine. "In Irvine, spoiler candidates and vote splitting routinely result in candidates winning with only a third of the vote. In ranked choice voting elections, this threat is neutralized and your vote is never wasted.”

    This spring, 100+ residents successfully petitioned Irvine City Council to put the issue on the ballot in November. In just a month, the effort has been endorsed by dozens of elected officials, organizations and Irvine community leaders. Among the endorsers are the Democrats of Greater Irvine and California Libertarian Party.

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