Raise your hand if you feel like we're always voting around here. Thats in part because of our Citys requirements that people running for office win by a majority of votes and not just a plurality. Thats why Gavin Newsom didn't win the first time we voted for mayor he only got around 40% of the vote on the first try. As you might remember, then we had a second election a month later, which was much more expensive, raised a whole different set of city issues, and yielded completely different turnout demographics. A little frustrating (though SFist does always enjoy going out and actually voting).
So back in March 2002, exasperated with the amount of time eaten up by the interminable election/runoff election/runoff cycle, the good voters of San Francisco agreed to try "instant runoff voting." After two and a half years of tinkering, the project is finally set to roll with the November 2004 election.
Okay, so hows it going to work? Sigh. Fasten your seat belt and hang onto your floating chads.
