IRV and the so-called "spoiler effect"

Instant runoff voting allows for better voter choice and wider voter participation by accommodating multiple candidates in single seat races and assuring that a so-called "spoiler"-effect will not result in undemocratic outcomes. Instant runoff voting allows all voters to vote for their favorite candidate without fear of helping elect their least favorite candidate, thus it solves the problem of "lesser-evilism." IRV does this by ensuring that the winner enjoys true support from a majority of the voters. Plurality voting, used in most American elections, does not meet these basic requirements for a fair election system that promotes wide participation, and traditional runoff elections are costly to the taxpayer and often suffer from low voter turnout.  That's why IRV has been endorsed by a range of political leaders, including former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, Senator John McCain, California Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., Green Party presidential nominee David Cobb and Secretaries of State such as Kevin Shelley (California) and Deborah Markowitz (Vermont).

To learn more about how IRV solves the "spoiler" problem and improves our democracy, check out the resources below.

IRV home page

John Anderson op-ed

Matt Gonzalez op-ed

McCain IRV endorsement

The Nation: De-Spoiling the Election

Flash animation on IRV

Ways of advancing IRV in your community