SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Amend Section 8.05 of the City Charter to provide for Ranked Choice Voting for city council elections, provide for a referendum to be held at the general election on March 15, 2022, and pass Ordinance 9512-21 on first reading.
Body
SUMMARY:
The City Council directed the City Attorney to draft an ordinance to amend the charter to allow for Ranked Choice Voting. Amending the charter to include Ranked Choice Voting ensures city officials are elected by a majority vote in an efficient and cost-effective process, fostering broad and diverse participation.
Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) means a method of casting votes that stimulates the ballot counts which occurs when all voters participate in a series of runoff elections with one candidate eliminated after each round of counting. The RCV method of voting allows for voters to rank their candidates in order of preference.
Ranked Choice Voting is not currently approved by the Secretary of State for use in Florida city elections. The proposed Charter amendments would become effective after approval of a majority of the city electors voting at the referendum election, the filing of the Amended Charter with the Secretary of State, and one year after state certification of a voting system capable of running a ranked choice election.
The ordinance also calls for a referendum election to be held at the regular city election on March 15, 2022 for the consideration of the voters of the City of Clearwater.