HB 2089 -- Instant Runoff Voting

Sponsor:  Zimmerman

This bill establishes procedures for instant runoff voting for
certain elected state officials.  In its main provisions, the
bill:

(1)  Requires all primary and general elections held after
January 1, 2009, for the office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor,
Secretary of State, State Auditor, State Treasurer, Attorney
General, state representative, and state senator to be conducted
using instant runoff voting procedures;

(2)  Specifies the procedures for instant runoff voting and the
counting of ranked-choice ballots.  Generally, if there is no
simple majority winner in the first round of voting, the
candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and the process
continues by counting the next most preferred candidate votes on
those ballots where the eliminated candidate was the top choice.
The process continues until a winner by simple majority emerges
or a tie results.  Write-in votes will still be allowed, and the
procedures for breaking ties will remain the same as specified in
Chapter 115, RSMo;

(3)  Allows the Secretary of State to limit candidate choices to
three if necessary to accommodate the voting system; and

(4)  Requires the Secretary of State to conduct a voter education
campaign explaining the ranked-choice method of voting.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated October 15, 2008 at 3:11 pm