04/27/2021 - SpecialTuesday, April 27, 2021
10:00 AM
City of Clearwater
Main Library - Council Chambers
100 N. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33755
Main Library - Council Chambers
Council Work Session
Special Work Session
Special Meeting - Election Voting Systems
April 27, 2021Council Work Session Special Work Session
1. Call to Order
2. Presentations
Election Voting Systems Presentation - Dr. Paine2. 1
3. City Manager Verbal Reports
4. City Attorney Verbal Reports
5. New Business (items not on the agenda may be brought up asking they be
scheduled for subsequent meetings or work sessions in accordance with Rule 1,
Paragraph 2).
6. Closing Comments by Mayor
7. Adjourn
Page 2 City of Clearwater Printed on 4/26/2021
Cover Memo
City of Clearwater Main Library - Council
Chambers
100 N. Osceola Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33755
File Number: ID#21-9090
Agenda Date: 4/27/2021 Status: Agenda ReadyVersion: 1
File Type: Action ItemIn Control: Council Work Session
Agenda Number: 2. 1
SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Election Voting Systems Presentation - Dr. Paine
SUMMARY:
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
USE OF RESERVE FUNDS:
Page 1 City of Clearwater Printed on 4/26/2021
Districting and Voting
Scott Paine, Ph.D.
Director
Leadership Development and Education
Florida League of Cities
spaine@flcities.com
Setting Expectations
The Question of Districts
Voting Systems
Closing Thoughts
•Direct answers to questions about
which option is “best”
•Possible solutions that don’t have
any downsides
SETTING EXPECTATIONS
What you won’t get Setting Expectations
The Question of Districts
Voting Systems
Closing Thoughts
SETTING EXPECTATIONS
•Information about some of the system options
•Direct answers about what some of the
scholarship, plus some logic and experience,
says are the likely effects of various system
options
What you will get Setting Expectations
The Question of Districts
Voting Systems
Closing Thoughts
THE QUESTION
OF DISTRICTS
Setting Expectations
The Question of Districts
Voting Systems
Closing Thoughts
TWO MAIN OPTIONS
At Large Single-Member Districts
At Large
•Every voter can
vote on every seat
•Every voter is a
constituent of
every sitting
councilmember
Setting Expectations
The Question of Districts
Voting Systems
Closing Thoughts
Single-Member Districts
•Councilmembers may
be more familiar with
their districts
•A polarized majority
in a particular district
can win the seat
‣Minority voices
may be more
represented
•Cost of entry is less
Setting Expectations
The Question of Districts
Voting Systems
Closing Thoughts
Underrepresentation and Districts
Whether or not single-member districts are
likely to improve representation of under-
represented groups depends on three
primary factors:
Size
Concentration
Polarization
Setting Expectations
The Question of Districts
Voting Systems
Closing Thoughts
Do Single-Member Districts Matter?
Research suggests:
•Under certain conditions, single-member
districts are likely to increase Black
representation
‣There may be a gender dimension –
Single-member districts may help Black
men but not Black women
•The evidence is more mixed when it
comes to representation of
Hispanic/Latinx communities
Setting Expectations
The Question of Districts
Voting Systems
Closing Thoughts
Do Single-Member Districts Matter?
Research suggests:
•Single-member districts do not appear to
increase the representation of women
‣Some research indicates they are more
likely to prevail in at-large systems
•The voting system may affect representation
as well
Setting Expectations
The Question of Districts
Voting Systems
Closing Thoughts
Some Possible Variations
•Combination of citywide and single-
member districts
•District seats but elected at large
•Districts represented by multiple
members
Setting Expectations
The Question of Districts
Voting Systems
Closing Thoughts
Electing Councils:
The National Picture
Breakdown of Types of Council Elections by City Size (2001) (n=649)
Small (25,000-69,999)
Medium (70,000-199,999)
Large (200,000 And Up)
At-Large 48.9% 43.7% 16.4%
Mixed-System 25.0% 25.4% 38.2%
District 26.1% 31.0% 45.5%
Source: Svara, James H. Two Decades of Continuity and Change in American City Councils. Washington, DC: National League of Cities, 2003.
Setting Expectations
The Question of Districts
Voting Systems
Closing Thoughts
Questions
VOTING
SYSTEMS
Setting Expectations
The Question of Districts
Voting Systems
Closing Thoughts
WHO WINS?
SOME ELECTION SYSTEM OPTIONS
Plurality
Majority (with top two runoff if needed)
Ranked Choice Voting
Approval Voting
WHO SHOULD WIN?
CONDORCET AND BORDA
The Gold Standard:
Condorcet Winner
•The candidate that beats every other
candidate in a paired comparison
The Silver Standard:
Borda Winner
•The candidate who secures the highest
cumulative rank score
Setting Expectations
The Question of Districts
Voting Systems
Closing Thoughts
DIRECT IMPLEMENTATION OF
CONDORCET AND BORDA
Demands on voters becoming
overwhelming
3 candidates – 3 decisions
4 candidates – 6 decisions
5 candidates – 10 decisions
6 candidates – 15 decisions
Setting Expectations
The Question of Districts
Voting Systems
Closing Thoughts
TWO CONCERNS ABOUT
CONVENTIONAL METHODS
•The Condorcet or Borda winner often
does not win
•They are subject to manipulation
through strategic voting
Setting Expectations
The Question of Districts
Voting Systems
Closing Thoughts
An Example
E A A B B C A B B
C D C C A D E C D
D C D D C E C A C
A B E E D A B D A
B E B A E B D E E
An Example
E A A B B C A B B
E A A B B C A B B
C D C C A D E C D
D C D D C E C A C
A B E E D A B D A
B E B A E B D E E
Plurality Voting – B Wins
E A A B B C A B B
E A A B B C A B B
C D C C A D E C D
D C D D C E C A C
A B E E D A B D A
B E B A E B D E E
Plurality Voting – B Wins
E A A B B C A B B
E A A B B C A B B
C D C C A D E C D
D C D D C E C A C
A B E E D A B D A
B E B A E B D E E
Strategic Voting – Plurality – A Wins
A A A B B A A B B
E A A B B C A B B
C D C C A D E C D
D C D D C E C A C
A B E E D A B D A
B E B A E B D E E
Primary/Runoff (Top Two)
E A A B B C A B B
E A A B B C A B B
C D C C A D E C D
D C D D C E C A C
A B E E D A B D A
B E B A E B D E E
A and B in a Runoff
E A A B B C A B B
E A A B B C A B B
C D C C A D E C D
D C D D C E C A C
A B E E D A B D A
B E B A E B D E E
A Wins
A A A B B A A B B
E A A B B C A B B
C D C C A D E C D
D C D D C E C A C
A B E E D A B D A
B E B A E B D E E
The Condorcet Winner – C
E A A B B C A B B
C D C C A D E C D
D C D D C E C A C
A B E E D A B D A
B E B A E B D E E
The Borda Winner - C
1st
(4 pts)
2nd
(3 pts)
3rd
(2 pts)
4th
(1 pt)
5th
(0 pts)
Total
Pts
A 3 (12) 1 (3) 1 (2) 3 (3) 1 (0) 20
B 4 (16) 0 (0) 0 (0) 2 (2) 3 (0) 18
C 1 (4) 4 (12) 4 (8) 0 (0) 0 (0) 24
D 0 (0) 3 (9) 3 (6) 2 (2) 1 (0) 17
E 1 (4) 1 (3) 1 (2) 2 (2) 4 (0) 11
Questions
RANKED CHOICE VOTING
fairvote.org/rcv#how_rcv_works
Setting Expectations
The Question of Districts
Voting Systems
Closing Thoughts
Ranked-Choice Voting
E A A B B C A B B
C D C C A D E C D
D C D D C E C A C
A B E E D A B D A
B E B A E B D E E
A 3
B 4
C 1
D 0
E 1
Ranked-Choice Voting
E A A B B C A B B
C D C C A D E C D
D C D D C E C A C
A B E E D A B D A
B E B A E B D E E
A 3
B 4
C 1
D 0
E 1
Ranked-Choice Voting
E A A B B C A B B
C D C C A D E C D
D C D D C E C A C
A B E E D A B D A
B E B A E B D E E
A 3
B 4
C 1
D 0
E 1
Ranked-Choice Voting
E A A B B C A B B
C D C C A D E C D
D C D D C E C A C
A B E E D A B D A
B E B A E B D E E
A 3
B 4
C 1
D 0
E 1
Ranked-Choice Voting –Nothing’s Perfect
E A A B B C A B B
C D C C A D E C D
D C D D C E C A C
A B E E D A B D A
B E B A E B D E E
A 3
B 4
C 1
D 0
E 1
youtube.com/watch?v=orybDrUj4vA
APPROVAL VOTING
Setting Expectations
The Question of Districts
Voting Systems
Closing Thoughts
Approval Voting
E A A B B C A B B
C D C C A D E C D
D C D D C E C A C
A B E E D A B D A
B E B A E B D E E
A
B
C
D
E
Approval Voting
E A A B B C A B B
C D C C A D E C D
D C D D C E C A C
A B E E D A B D A
B E B A E B D E E
A 5
B 4
C 8
D 4
E 3
Approval Voting
E A A B B C A B B
C D C C A D E C D
D C D D C E C A C
A B E E D A B D A
B E B A E B D E E
A 5
B 4
C 8
D 4
E 3
Questions
•Systems Matter
•Systems don’t guarantee outcomes
•There is no “right” answer
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Setting Expectations
The Question of Districts
Voting Systems
Closing Thoughts
The choices should be driven by:
•the nature of the community
•the vision of the city in that community
•the vision of the role of elected officials
•the vision of the nature of elections
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Setting Expectations
The Question of Districts
Voting Systems
Closing Thoughts
Districting and Voting
Scott Paine, Ph.D.
Director
Leadership Development and Education
Florida League of Cities
spaine@flcities.com