Instant-runoff voting: Difference between revisions

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When the [[single transferable vote]] (STV) [[voting system]] is applied to a single-winner election it is sometimes called '''instant-runoff voting''' (IRV), as it is much like holding a series of [[runoff voting|runoff]] elections in which the lowest polling candidate (based on 1st choice votes; see [[Ranked ballot|ranked ballot]]) is eliminated in each round until someone receives a [[simple majority|majority]] of votes. IRV is often considered independently of multi-winner STV because it is simpler and because it is the most widely advocated electoral reform in the United States.

Outside the US, IRV is known as the '''[[Alternative Vote]]''', '''[[preferential voting]]''', '''single-winner STV'el'', or the '''[[Thomas Hare|Hare]] System''', though there is room for confusion with some of these terms, since they can also refer to STV in general. In the US, IRV is also known as '''Ranked Choice Voting''' ('''RCV'''), a term preferred by election officials in San Francisco in 2004 because election results were not instant, and voters are responsible for ranking candidates.<ref>As described on a [https://web.archive.org/web/20040514072509/http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/site/election_page.asp?id=24269 City of San Francisco election page in 2004] "''Is 'ranked-choice voting' the same as 'instant runoff voting'? In San Francisco, ranked-choice voting is sometimes called 'instant run-off voting.' The Department of Elections generally uses the term ranked-choice voting, because it describes the voting method—voter are directed to rank their first, second and third choice candidates. The Department also uses the term ranked-choice voting because the word 'instant' might create an expectation that final results will be available immediately after the polls close on election night. But the term 'instant run-off' does not mean instantaneous reporting of results—the term means that there is no need for a separate run-off election.''"</ref>

Outside the US, IRV is known as the '''[[Alternative Vote]]''', '''[[preferential voting]]''', '''single-winner STV''', or the '''[[Thomas Hare|Hare]] System''', though there is room for confusion with some of these terms, since they can also refer to STV in general. In the US, IRV is also known as '''Ranked Choice Voting''' ('''RCV'''), a term preferred by election officials in San Francisco in 2004 because election results were not instant, and voters are responsible for ranking candidates.<ref>As described on a [https://web.archive.org/web/20040514072509/http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/site/election_page.asp?id=24269 City of San Francisco election page in 2004] "''Is 'ranked-choice voting' the same as 'instant runoff voting'? In San Francisco, ranked-choice voting is sometimes called 'instant run-off voting.' The Department of Elections generally uses the term ranked-choice voting, because it describes the voting method—voter are directed to rank their first, second and third choice candidates. The Department also uses the term ranked-choice voting because the word 'instant' might create an expectation that final results will be available immediately after the polls close on election night. But the term 'instant run-off' does not mean instantaneous reporting of results—the term means that there is no need for a separate run-off election.''"</ref>

Instant-Runoff Voting was invented around 1870 by American architect [[William Robert Ware]], who simply applied Hare's method to single-winner elections.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W7QRAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA192|title=Application of Mr. Hare's system of voting to the nomination of overseers of Harvard College.|last=Ware|first=William R.|date=1871|publisher=|year=|isbn=|location=|pages=|oclc=81791186|quote=It is equally efficient whether one candidate is to be chosen, or a dozen.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.fairvote.org/articles/reilly.pdf|title=The Global Spread of Preferential Voting: Australian Institutional Imperialism|author=Benjamin Reilly|publisher=FairVote.org|accessdate=17 April 2011}}</ref> Ware was not a mathematician, thus never subjected his election method to any rigorous analysis. He evidently based IRV on the single winner outcome of the [[Single Transferable Vote]] or STV developed in 1855 originally by [[Carl Andrae]] in [[Denmark]]. It was introduced into [[England]] in 1857 by the [[barrister]] [[Thomas Hare]], where it earned public praise from [[John Stuart Mill]], an English philosopher, member of parliament, and employee of the [[British East India Company|East India Company]].