MLEDOFFICE OF THE CITY Ct.UK
OAKLAND
22 MAR 25 AM 9=21 Approved as to Form and Legality
City Attorney’s Office
OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL
8910 6 C.M.S.RESOLUTION NO.
INTRODUCED BY COUNCILMEMBER KALB
RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITION OF CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY
BILL 2808 (O’DONNELL) THAT WOULD PROHIBIT RANKED CHOICE
VOTING IN STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS
WHEREAS, along with Berkeley, San Leandro and San Francisco, Oakland has used ranked choice voting for more than a decade; and
WHEREAS, ranked choice voting allows voters to rank up to three candidates in order of preference when voting and eliminates the need for run-off elections; and WHEREAS, if no candidate receives over 50% of first place votes cast an elimination process begins where the candidate who received the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated and the votes for that candidate are transferred to the voter’s next ranked choice among the remaining candidates. This process continues until one candidate receives a majority and is declared the winner; and
WHEREAS, ranked choice voting promotes democracy without the need for a costly runoff election as there is no steep decline in voter participation as which typically occurs in a runoff election; and
WHEREAS, candidates have an incentive to engage with all voters to earn both their first and second or third votes which give voters a greater chance of being heard; and WHEREAS, ranked choice voting is expanding to city primary and special elections in New York City, state and federal elections in Maine and Alaska and more than 40 local jurisdictions in 14 states; and
WHEREAS, research suggests that ranked choice voting had fewer voter errors than traditional single mark ballots, increased voter turnout, improved the civility in debates and no significant racial or ethnic differences in understanding voting instructions or electoral systems; and
WHEREAS, AB 2808 will ban ranked choice voting eliminating Oakland’s tried and true electoral process; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED: That the City Council hereby opposes AB 2808 (O’Donnell) and urges the California State Legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom to oppose its enactment into law.
MAR 292022IN COUNCIL, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA,
PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES - FIFE, GALLO, KALB, KAPLAN, REID, TAYLOR, THAO AND PRESIDENT
FORTUNATO BAS
NOES -m
ABSENT - 0
ABSTENTION -
ATTEST:
ASHA R
City Clerk and Clerk of the Council of
the City of Oakland, California
23158571 v4/ARM