Aspen Former Mayor Klanderud Recommends Repeal of IRV

Dear Election Commission Members,
My comments are not specific to the 2009 election, but are a statement in general of my position regarding IRV for future elections.
I believe the City of Aspen should return to the simple election process we enjoyed for many years.  Yes, it's a winner-take-all, and a potential plurality winner does concern some. 
My opposition to IRV is that many do not understand it.  I, for one, do not want to vote for candidates that I do not wish to vote for.  There is much confusion as to whether you help or hinder your candidate by not voting for more than one or all candidates.  One can speculate that the ongoing controversy regarding the 2009 election would not have occurred with either the one election or the runoff option election.  Elections should be straight-forward and clear as to the outcome.  IRV is not straight-forward and does not provide clarity.

I understand the concept and intention for having a run-off, but it is clear that not completely, but to some extent you have a different group of voters.  It also creates the complication of having to request an absentee ballot for the run-off election if you are going to be gone.  If you're gone on both election dates, this would be required twice.  For persons out of the country, which many Aspenites are, it is possible that that the thirty-day window is insufficient to receive and return an absentee ballot.

Aspen survived for years with one election.  Candidates will have to clearly state their positions and work hard to get the vote.  No hedging your bets on a second chance in a run-off.  I would hope it possible to put on the ballot a question or questions that would eliminate IRV for the 2011 election.

Thank you for your consideration of this issue and I hope you will recommend to city council a charter change to eliminate IRV and to return to the single election.

Sincerely,

Helen Kalin Klanderud
P.O. Box 1558
Aspen, Colorado