So let the debate begin. I have thought for some time that we needed a runoff procedure for statewide elections. So I put this bill in today. I am sure we’ll have lots of debate, and a bill is a great way to start that process. See my reasons below the bill summary. HB 1362 Elections; run-off elections. Introduced by: L. Scott Lingamfelter | all patrons ... notes | add to my profiles SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED: Elections; run-off elections. Provides that no candidate shall be deemed to have been elected at a general election to any statewide office or the United States Senate unless such candidate receives more than 50 percent of the total votes cast for that office. The bill requires that when no candidate for an office receives more than 50 percent of the total votes cast at the general election for that office, a run-off election between the candidates receiving the highest and next-highest number of votes for that office shall be held. However, no run-off election shall be held if the total number of write-in votes cast for an office and the total number of votes cast for the candidate receiving the highest number of votes for an office together equal more than 50 percent of the total votes cast for that office. The bill requires run-off elections to be held on the fourth Tuesday following the date of the certification of the results of the general election or, if a recount is conducted after the general election, on the fourth Tuesday following the date of the certification of the results of the recount, unless the fourth Tuesday falls on a legal holiday, in which the case the run-off election will be held on the sixth Tuesday. The bill provides that all other elections, including a general election of electors for the President and Vice-President of the United States, the person having the highest number of votes for an office shall be deemed to have been elected to such office and shall receive the certificate of election. Under current law, except in the case of a recount, the person having the most votes cast at any election shall be deemed to have been elected to that office. I think it’s important to have a clear result. People who get a clear majority from the voters are better able to govern based on the positions they advocated. While third parties are fine—I am not against them at all—I do think they sometimes distort the result. I think we have seen this in Virginia a couple of times. In reality we are a two party system, like it or not, and when either major party cultivates a third party (read mischief) to distort the outcome—and that can cut both ways—then that is not good in my opinion. Why not Presidential elections? Because we elect electors and there has been some talk of moving away from “winner takes all”, rather apportion them by the percentage of the vote like Nebraska and Maine does. In my judgment we should start here with a statewide approach and see how it works. It could well be extended at some point, but the importance of statewide elections deserves an unambiguous result. That is why I am proposing this idea. Let’s have the debate and see how it goes. lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?151+sum+HB1362
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 23:55:26 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015