Title
Overview of Ranked Choice Voting Process for the Purpose of Appointing a Councilmember to Fill the Unexpired Term of Position #5
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Receive an overview of the process of Ranked Choice voting for the purpose of appointing a Councilmember to fill the City Council Position #5 vacancy.
Report
Issue:
Whether to receive an overview of the process of Ranked Choice voting for the purpose of appointing a Councilmember to fill the City Council Position #5 vacancy.
Staff Contact:
Kellie Purce Braseth, Strategic Communications Director, City Manager’s Office, 360.753.8361
Presenter(s):
Jack Mongin, Election Technician, Thurston County Auditor’s Office
Background and Analysis:
When planning to fill the Council Position #5 vacancy, the Council-appointed subcommittee formed to guide the appointment process recommended the use of Ranked Choice voting to assist with the process of appointing a new Councilmember. Council approved using the approach at its January 7, 2025, meeting.
In Ranked-Choice voting, the voter ranks the candidates in the order preferred to them: First choice, Second choice, Third choice, and so on. If the voters top pick cannot win, their vote counts for their next choice.
How are the ballots counted?
• If a candidate receives a majority (more than half) of the first-choice votes, that candidate wins, just like any other election.
• If there is no majority winner after counting first choices, then the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. Any voter who picked the eliminated candidate as their “number one” will have their vote count for their next choice.
• The process continues until one candidate receives a majority of votes in the final round.
At the conclusion of the interviews of seven Council candidates, the Rank Choice Voting process will be administered by Election Technician Jack Mongin from the Thurston County Auditor’s Office.
The ballot, designed by the County Auditor’s Office, will contain the name of each candidate. There will be space for each Councilmember to write their name on the ballot.
Mayor Payne will open the voting, and each Councilmember, while on camera, will rank all the candidates in the order of their preference, 1 - 7, on the ballot. After the Councilmembers have completed their ballots, Mayor Payne will announce that voting has closed. Councilmembers will deposit their ballot, one by one, on a ballot table located in the Council Chambers. Once all the ballots have been placed, Mayor Payne will close the voting.
Mr. Mongin will then read the ballots. The tabulation will be conducted and displayed on screen. The tally will be manual using an excel spreadsheet.
Once the tabulation has been completed, Mr. Mongin will announce the results, and Council can move to accept and appoint a winner to Council Position #5, or choose to enter into Executive Session discussion, or consider other options for moving forward.
Ranked-Choice Voting Rules for Tabulation:
1. If a candidate receives a majority (more than half) of the first-choice votes, that candidate wins.
2. If no candidate receives a majority of votes in a given round of counting, then the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated.
3. A Councilmember’s vote will be counted for the candidate that they ranked highest who has not been eliminated.
4. Tabulation will continue in rounds until a candidate receives a majority of votes in that round.
Because small group elections are prone to ties, the sum of the rankings can be used to break ties for this election.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
The Olympia City Council serves as the community’s legislative body, responsible for approving ordinances and resolutions, and establishing City policy that impacts the lives and livability of the community.
Climate Analysis:
No climate impacts are evident.
Equity Analysis:
The Council appointment process is an opportunity to reduce disparities in participation among marginalized communities in City of Olympia’s processes and decisions.
Financial Impact:
No cost is associated in the recruitment and appointment process. The current annual salary for Olympia Council Position #5 receives and annual salary $25,695.73, and a benefit stipend of $6,195.71 for a total compensation of $31,891.44
Options:
1. Receive an overview of the process of Ranked Choice voting for the purpose of appointing a Councilmember to fill the City Council Position #5 vacancy.
2. Receive the briefing and move to use a different process to determine a candidate to fill Position #5.
3. Do not receive the briefing and do not determine a candidate to fill Council Position #5.
Attachments:
Rank Choice Voting Procedures