1     
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING SUCCESSFUL

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PARTICIPATION IN THE MUNICIPAL ALTERNATIVE

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VOTING METHODS PILOT PROGRAM

4     
2020 GENERAL SESSION

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STATE OF UTAH

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Chief Sponsor: Marc K. Roberts

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Senate Sponsor: Daniel McCay

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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
22     

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.