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Instant Runoff Voting

NC Court of Appeals Judge Election

Superior Court Judge Elections: Buncombe County, Cumberland County, Rowan County

November 2, 2010

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City of Hendersonville

Directs the State Board of Elections to conduct Instant Runoff Voting if a vacancy is created in the office of justice of the Supreme Court, judge of the Court of Appeals, or judge of superior court under certain conditions.

General Statute 163-329

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What Is Instant Runoff Voting?

Instant Runoff Voting combines the Primary

and Election Day into one election.

Voters will select their

1st choice for IRV contests

like every other contest

on the ballot, but they

will rank their 2nd or 3rd

choices in the event the

first round results produce

no majority winner.

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How Instant Runoff

Voting Works

First Round of Counting

Voters select their 1st choice for an office just as they have done in previous elections. Additionally, voters may select their 2nd or 3rd choices. The voters’ 1st choices are tallied and are reported unofficially on Election Night. If a candidate gets a majority of 1st choice votes, more than 50% of votes cast, then they are certified as the winner at Canvass and no further counting is necessary.

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How Instant Runoff

Voting Works

How are the votes counted?

If a voter’s first choice candidate is not in the runoff, a second choice vote for either of the two runoff candidates will be counted. Third choice votes for either runoff candidate will be counted only if the voter’s first or second choice candidate is not in the runoff. After all counting is concluded, the candidate with the most first and second round total votes wins the election.

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Marking Your IRV Ballot

  1. Mark your first choice in the first column, then mark your 2nd and 3rd choices in the appropriate columns.

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  • Select a different candidate for each choice.

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  • Your 2nd or 3rd choices will not count against your first choice.

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  • If your first choice candidate is not in the runoff, then a second choice vote for either of the two runoff candidates will be counted. Third choice votes for either runoff candidate will be counted only if your first or second choice candidate is not in the runoff.

SAMPLE

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NC State Board of Elections

(866) 522-4723

www.sboe.state.nc.us

For More Information

or contact your county board of elections.