The following is an excerpt from an article by Kim Hyatt. Continue reading here: www.inforum.com

The task force also recommended a new voting system called approval voting. Nearly all who spoke at Wednesday’s meeting were unconvinced that just because the system is not used in any other city doesn’t mean it can’t be implemented here. Many said the process is a more expressive and democratic way of voting because it allows residents to vote for as many candidates on a ballot as they like.

Several said approval voting would allow a better representation of voters’ preferences. Only one resident objected to approval voting, saying it was a socialist system and people should make a single decision of where their vote should go, such as with the current voting system.

Also, according to an article by local news source WDAY:

Most radically, it’s suggesting an approval voting system in which voters can choose as many candidates as they like. Opponents argue it could spur strategic votes, but the task force hopes its recommendations can make city elections more effective.

“To simplify the voting procedures, to have an efficient and effective governance model, and to have fair representation for the candidates,” said Bruce Furness, Task Force Chair. The city commission could decide to place these recommendation on a ballot at its meeting next Monday.

According to Democracy Chronicles’ friends at the Center for Election Science:

Approval voting is a single-winner voting method that allows voters to choose any number of candidates. The candidate chosen the most wins. Approval Voting is most often discussed in the context of single-winner elections, but variations using an approval-style ballot can also be applied to multi-winner (at-large) elections.