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9 LONG TITLE
10 General Description:
11 This concurrent resolution commends the towns of Payson and Vineyard for their
12 successful participation in the Municipal Alternate Voting Methods Pilot Project.
13 Highlighted Provisions:
14 This resolution:
15 ▸ commends the towns of Payson and Vineyard, as well as the Utah County election
16 officials, for successfully conducting the first instant runoff voting elections in the
17 state of Utah; and
18 ▸ encourages other municipalities to adopt instant runoff voting for municipal
19 elections.
20 Special Clauses:
21 None
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23 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
24 WHEREAS, the Legislature enacted 2018 General Session H.B. 35 which created a
25 pilot program allowing municipalities to conduct nonpartisan races using instant runoff voting
26 during any odd-numbered year the pilot program is in effect;
27 WHEREAS, the towns of Payson and Vineyard opted to participate in the pilot program
28 and conducted their 2019 elections for city council using instant runoff voting;
29 WHEREAS, Payson and Vineyard elected council members by a majority vote using
30 instant runoff voting without the need for an August primary election;
31 WHEREAS, post-election polling of Payson and Vineyard residents found that 86% of
32 respondents reported finding instant runoff voting "very much" or "somewhat" easy to use;
33 WHEREAS, post-election polling of Payson and Vineyard residents found that 82.5%
34 of respondents said instant runoff voting should be used in future elections;
35 WHEREAS, 71.2% of Payson voters ranked all five candidates listed on the ballot, and
36 58.6% of Vineyard voters ranked all seven candidates on the ballot;
37 WHEREAS, post-election polling of candidates found that 87.5% of respondents
38 reported a positive impression of instant runoff voting and all others reported a neutral
39 impression, with no candidate reporting a negative impression; and
40 WHEREAS, post-election polling of candidates found that 75% of respondents reported
41 thinking that their municipality should continue using instant runoff voting in municipal
42 elections and all others expressed no opinion, with no candidate expressing an opinion that the
43 municipality should not use instant runoff voting:
44 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
45 Governor concurring therein, commends the towns of Payson and Vineyard, as well as the Utah
46 County election officials, for successfully conducting the first instant runoff voting elections in
47 the state of Utah.
48 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor encourage other
49 municipalities to adopt instant runoff voting for municipal elections so that they, too, may elect
50 municipal officers without the need for an August primary election.
51 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Payson and
52 Vineyard mayors and to the Utah County Clerk/Auditor's office.