Key Links
Key Resources:
- About Ranked Choice Voting handout (pdf)
- League of Women Voters of Minnnesota: Alternative Voting Systems: Facts and Issues, September 2004 (pdf)
- "What it Takes: Minneapolis Better Ballot Campaign" final report (pdf)
- 1990 Irish Presidential IRV Election
- FairVote
is a national organization that "acts to transform our elections to
achieve universal access to participation, a full spectrum of
meaningful ballot choices and majority rule with fair representation
for all".
FairVote Minnesota is a legally separate organization but works in alliance with FairVote as part of network of state-based organizations to promote voting reform across the country.
FairVote provides a wealth of historical and current resources about Ranked Choice Voting and other voting reforms at the national level and in states across the country.
The Gerrymandering Game
Our current election system guarantees that there will be minorities
in every district who remain unrepresented by someone with their political
views. District lines can be drawn either to shut out minority voices
or strengthen them — A process called "gerrymandering." As
this game illustrates, the way in which district lines are drawn has
a great effect on who wins representation in Single-Member District,
Winner-Take-All elections.
Below is a map of the political geography of a typical city. There are
40 Democrats (D) concentrated in the center and 32 Republicans (R) dominating
the suburbs. Our current winner-take-all election system divides such
areas up into districts, each represented by a single elected official.
The city pictured must be divided into four districts, each with six "neighborhoods" (a
cluster of three letters).
First, imagine how to draw district lines to create a district plan
which gives Republicans a strong advantage over Democrats. (Hint: The
tactic known as "packing," in which strongly partisan areas
are packed into a single district, should be used here.)
Next, create a district plan where the Democrats have the advantage.
(Hint: "Crack" the Republicans among several districts.)
When you think you have it figured out, check out the solutions...Gerrymander
Solutions
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Gerrymandering Game Answers
Here are the solutions to the "Gerrymandering Game." In theupper map, you can see how district lines are drawn to "pack" mostof the Democratic voters into a central district. Thus, On election day,one Democrat and three Republicans are likely to be elected. In a citythat is 56 percent Democrat and 44 percent Republican, these districtswould give the majority party only 25 percent of the seats, while theminority party would get three out of four seats.
In the second map, you can see how district lines divide Republicansupporters evenly among the four districts. Thus, though a sizeable minorityin the city (44 percent), they will probably see no Republicans elected.Democratic voters with a small numerical majority will get all therepresentation.
Of course, politicians know that Gerrymandering is more than a meregame. Every ten years, after the census, the redistricting process beginsanew, and each time, parties who play a role in the districting processwork to create "safe districts" for their candidates. Thisproblem cannot be avoided using Single-Member Districts and Winner-Take-Allvoting -- only elections using Multi-Member Proportional Districtscan eliminate the problem of Gerrymandering and assure election resultsthat accurately reflect the views of voters.
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