ALTHOUGH BOTH PARTIES are trying to field a strong roster of candidates for the November general election, there are likely to be few surprises and the Democrats are expected to retain the majority hold on the Legislature.
But this year’s election is less predictable as it will be marked by two significant differences from those of earlier years.
• Pierce County has adopted an instant runoff voting system.
The new system — which was approved by voters earlier this year — eliminates a primary.
Instead, it substitutes a voting procedure that asks the voter to rank the candidates in order of preference. For example, if there are four candidates, the voter will be asked to rank them as first, second, third and fourth.
The new system also means that more than one of the candidates could be from the same party. The four-part lineup, for example, could consist of three Democrats and one Republican or two from each party.
The system means that a candidate ranked third by most voters could potentially win the election. Such an outcome would result if the percentage of third-place rankings exceeds those of the first-place and second-place rankings.
“As this is the first time the system will be used, mass confusion could result,” says Council 2 Deputy Director Pat Thompson. “I am not even sure if the system itself is in place to handle all the complexities.
“After all, we have had enough problems recently with ballots.
• The other innovation that will complicate the legislative races is the state’s adoption of the “top-two” system.
In terms of this system, all the candidates, regardless of party, will appear on the August primary ballot. The voters will choose the candidate they prefer, regardless of party affiliation.
“This means that in a number of races in Eastern Washington two Republicans will be running against each other,” Thompson says.
“And in a number of places, two Democrats will be competing against each other in the general election.”
No one can predict the effect of these changes, Thompson adds, as it is the first time they are being put into place.
