To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: ELEANOR MANZANO, CITY CLERK
TITLE
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DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO PROVIDE DIRECTION TO STAFF RELATING TO THE DRAFT ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY’S MUNICIPAL CODE RELATED TO RANKED CHOICE VOTING AS AN INSTANT RUNOFF MODEL.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City Clerk and City Attorney’s Office jointly presented to the City Council at its Regular Meeting on January 23, 2024, and sought direction relating to implementing Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) and to prepare an ordinance detailing the process and present the item to Council in April 2024.
Ranked Choice Voting is a method that allows voters to rank candidates on the ballot in order of preference and the ballots are tabulated (counted) in rounds that simulate a series of runoffs until a candidate receives 50% plus 1, and therefore is determined to be the winner. RCV is also known and referred to as “instant runoff voting.” RCV only applies to City Offices candidates, and does not include Redondo Beach Unified School District Members of the Board of Education.
This proposed draft ordinance will repeal Redondo Beach Municipal Code (“RBMC”) Section 2-2.202 <https://ecode360.com/42642408> of Title 2, Chapter 2, Article 2, Section 2-2.202 (Administration - Elections, Notice of runoff elections) and then amend Title 2, Chapter, 2, by adding Article 4 (Administration - Elections, Instant Runoff Voting).
A proposed draft ordinance has been prepared for your review, input, and to provide direction to staff in the areas listed below.
1. Maximum Ranking Number of Candidates due to HART equipment limitation at this time is 6.
Select the total number of rankings with no more than 6.
Note: The City of Berkeley, which has been conducting RCV Elections since 2010, initially had a maximum of 3 and increased the number to 5 in 2022. They use Dominion equipment which now has a maximum of 10 rankings.
2. Write-In Candidate
Select the total number of ballot write-in with no more than 6.
Note: The number selected should be consistent with the Maximum Ranking Number of Candidates (No. 1 Above).
Other points of interests on the proposed draft ordinance include the items listed below.
• Skipped Ranking occurs during any of the following:
When a voter skips ranking a candidate; and
When a voter includes a non-qualified write-in candidate.
For example, a ballot contains rankings for a second-choice candidate, third choice candidate, fourth choice candidate, but skips (did not select) a candidate for their first choice. Assuming that the voter’s second choice is a continuing candidate, the ballot shall be transferred to the voter’s second choice.
• Undervote Ballot is when a voter has not voted for a candidate indicated at any ranking, will be declared an undervote, the ballot becomes exhausted and does not continue in the series.
• Overvote and Exhausted Ballots is when a voter has voted for more than 1 candidate in a ranking (round), because they overvoted, the ballot becomes exhausted (invalid) and does not continue in the series.
• Ties In the event that two or more candidates tie for the fewest number of votes, the candidate to eliminate shall be chosen by lot.
If there are only two candidates in the final round and they are tied, the winner will be the candidate who received the higher number of votes in round one.
• Unofficial Election Night Report - On Election Day, the City Clerk will conduct unofficial count of all ballots received by the City Clerk prior to election day. This will not constitute a “round” of county and no candidates will be eliminated based on the report. On Final Day, the City Clerk will conduct all rounds of ranking until reaching the final two candidates; and will then provide Final Report(s).
In conducting research to prepare this ordinance, City Clerk staff contacted various sources to receive input, discuss best practices, and consider concerns relating to RCV. Staff contacted the following, City of Berkeley City Clerk, County of Humboldt Registrar of Voters, and HART representative. Based on staff research, these are the areas that vary from the different cities that have conducted/will conduct RCV and require City Council direction.
Furthermore, as a status update, the City Clerk’s Office has been researching and will present a Voter Education and Outreach Plan to the City Council in August 2024.
Additionally, this City will be the first to conduct RCV in the County of Los Angeles, serving as a model to other cities in the Southern California area.
BACKGROUND
The City of Redondo Beach held its General Municipal Election on March 7, 2023, conducted by All-Mail Ballot. The electorate successfully voted, by an overwhelming 76.67%, for Measure CA5. The ballot measure amended Charter Section 18.4, “Majority Vote; Instant Run Off Election” which replaced runoff elections for the Elected Offices of the City with an instant run off voting system.
At the last Regular City Council Meeting on April 2, 2024, the City Council directed the City Attorney to prepare an ordinance amending the City’s Municipal Code to implement a voting method in March 2025 related to an instant runoff voting system, which on January 23, 2024, the City Council approved to move forward with RCV.
COORDINATION
This report was prepared in coordination with the City Attorney’s Office.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is minimal fiscal impact associated with this item.
SUBMITTED BY:
Eleanor Manzano, City Clerk
ATTACHMENTS
• Proposed Draft Ordinance
• RCV Case - San Francisco, Dudum v. Arntz