| David Newswanger | The Mercury News |
Moreover, despite the cost, there’s likely to be little voter participation. Dec. 30 is not a date designed to produce robust civic engagement; it is a date that will produce low turnout reflecting the fact that voters are traveling, distracted or simply checked out.
This is an avoidable problem. And Santa Clara County already has a tool available to fix it: ranked choice voting (RCV) for county special elections.
Majority support without a second, expensive, election
RCV allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. If no one wins an immediate majority, an instant runoff is conducted automatically during that same election by counting voters’ next choices. It ensures the winner earns majority support without requiring the county to run a second, expensive, stand-alone election two months later. For off-cycle special elections, particularly those triggered by unexpected resignations or vacancies, RCV is a more responsible use of public money.
Santa Clara County has the authority. The technology is ready. The Board of Supervisors should adopt ranked choice voting for special elections before we find ourselves sleepwalking into another costly, low-participation runoff.