North Carolina: House passes instant runoff bill
AP reports: The House needed three tries to finally get a bill through that allows up to 20 communities to operate "instant runoff" elections through 2008. The bill, which also pushed back by three weeks the date of the primary runoff date for legislative and statewide elections during even-numbered years, now goes to Gov. Mike Easley for his signature. "This thing's like a vampire, it just won't die," said Rep. Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, before the measure finally passed 60-51. The House narrowly rejected twice this week a Senate version of the measure creating the pilot in which voters in local elections to rank their order of preference among the candidates. It's meant as a way to improve voter participation and reduce expensive runoff elections. No county will be forced to participate. "There won't be any local instant runoff voting if the counties don't agree to do that," said Rep. Deborah Ross, D-Wake, who supported the bill. -- Wednesday at the General Assembly