Overall Survey Results:


Instant Runoff Voting Survey


1 Did you initially support Instant Run-Off Voting when it was proposed in 2007?
 
Answer
0%100%
Number of
Responses		Response
Ratio
Yes
   
22 28.2%
No
   
33 42.3%
Don't remember
   
13 16.6%
other
   
4 5.1%
No Responses
   
67.6%
 Totals78100%

2Did you vote in the recent Aspen Election, which used IRV?
 
Answer
0%100%
Number of
Responses		Response
Ratio
Yes
   
54 69.2%
No
   
1 1.2%
I followed it closely but cannot vote in Aspen.
   
17 21.7%
No Responses
   
67.6%
 Totals78100%

3Many voters ranked only one or two candidates in the Mayor's race, rather than ranking 3 or 4 candidates. Why do you think that happened? (select all that apply.)
 
Answer
0%100%
Number of
Responses		Response
Ratio
Voters did not want to vote for those skipped candidates, even in a "run off."
   
42 57.5%
Voters did not understand that they were risking not having their vote count in a runoff.
   
34 46.5%
Voters did not feel that they knew enough about those candidates they did not rank.
   
19 26.0%
Voters were uncertain about the IRV system and the effects of "ranking" those who were not their favorites.
   
42 57.5%
Other
   
7 9.5%
 Totals73100%

4Over 35% of the voters in the Council race voted for 3 or less candidates, taking a risk that their votes would not count in the run-off.  Why do you think that they did not rank more candidates? (select all that apply.)
 
Answer
0%100%
Number of
Responses		Response
Ratio
Voters did not want to vote for those candidates, even in a "run off."
   
40 54.7%
Voters did not understand that they were risking not having their vote count in a runoff.
   
36 49.3%
Voters did not feel that they knew enough about those they did not rank.
   
23 31.5%
Voters were uncertain about the IRV system and the unknown effects of "ranking" those who were not their favorites.
   
42 57.5%
other
   
6 8.2%
 Totals73100%

5In the Council race, if a voter ranked Candidate A as #1 and Candidate B as #9, and  did not rank the other 7 candidates, how do most voters  think that vote for Candidate B  in the #9 ranking was counted?
 
Answer
0%100%
Number of
Responses		Response
Ratio
That Candidate B got a number #2 ranking, since no others were ranked.
   
11 14.1%
Candidate B got a #9 ranking, with the voter expressing, "anyone but Candidate B."
   
26 33.3%
That the vote was not counted for Candidate B.
   
7 8.9%
Don't know.
   
25 32.0%
No Responses
   
911.5%
 Totals78100%

6Do you believe that the results of the Council race would have changed if there had been a traditional run off among Derek Johnson, Jack Johnson, Michael Behrendt, Torre, and Adam Frisch? (Frisch was added for this survey to the top 4 because the IRV counting method excluded him despite his heavy #1 rankings.)
 
Answer
0%100%
Number of
Responses		Response
Ratio
Yes
   
50 64.1%
No
   
8 10.2%
I don't know.
   
13 16.6%
No Responses
   
78.9%
 Totals78100%

7If you answered yes above  on Question 6 on the council race, why do you think that the results might have changed in a traditional run-off? (select all that apply.)
 
Answer
0%100%
Number of
Responses		Response
Ratio
Another month of campaigning would have allowed voters to be more informed, and better able to distinguish between the candidates
   
36 63.1%
Those who dropped out would have endorsed candidates other than Derek and Torre
   
28 49.1%
More voters would have returned to town from the off season and become involved and informed.
   
19 33.3%
The popular vote may have shown different results for the top two vote getters than the IRV math from the election.
   
32 56.1%
In a traditional run-off voters may have cast their votes more fully, without fear of the ranking system and how it might have unintended consequences.
   
35 61.4%
Other
   
2 3.5%
 Totals57100%

8  Do you believe that most voters understand that the particular  IRV mathematical method chosen, among various alternatives considered,  for the Council race can (and did) have impacts on who wins the race?
 
Answer
0%100%
Number of
Responses		Response
Ratio
Yes, Voters understood that there was risk in all the methods that each could produce different results.
   
12 15.3%
No. Voters assumed that the "instant" method would produce the same results of traditional run-off held on the same day with the same candidates.
   
38 48.7%
I have no idea what voters thought.
   
21 26.9%
No Responses
   
78.9%
 Totals78100%

9If the "Sequential Elimination " IRV  method  (as used in the Mayor's race) were used for the Council race, rather than the much debated  IRV "Batch Method", it appears that Frisch would have won the Council race, rather than Torre.  Would that mathematical anomaly surprise voters?
 
Answer
0%100%
Number of
Responses		Response
Ratio
Yes, voters don't understand how the tabulation system works or what the different alternatives were.
   
51 65.3%
No. Voters understand that the tabulation system selected can have anomalies in the result.
   
9 11.5%
I have no idea
   
10 12.8%
Other
   
1 1.2%
No Responses
   
78.9%
 Totals78100%

10Do most voters know that IRV has never been used for multi-seat races in the U.S. before Aspen tried it? Nor that the software was new and written just for this Council race?
 
Answer
0%100%
Number of
Responses		Response
Ratio
No voters assume that it was a well- tested system
   
38 48.7%
Yes, voters knew that this was new territory in elections.
   
20 25.6%
I have no idea.
   
12 15.3%
No Responses
   
810.2%
 Totals78100%

11If there had been no IRV during this election and, instead, the TRADITIONAL June run-off, what is your prediction of the impact on the  Mayor's race election results? (select all that apply.)
 
Answer
0%100%
Number of
Responses		Response
Ratio
The results would be about the same. Ireland wins narrowly over Marks.
   
16 22.5%
Marks would win with an additional month of campaigning and more people in town.
   
31 43.6%
Ireland would win with greater margin with more time to campaign, and more people in town.
   
9 12.6%
The majority of the 3% of voters who voted ONLY for Kole and Erspamer (with no vote for Ireland or Marks), would have voted in the run-off and changed the result.
   
29 40.8%
Other
   
5 7.0%
 Totals71100%

12 How do you feel about the validity of the tabulation system? (choose all that apply.)
 
Answer
0%100%
Number of
Responses		Response
Ratio
I am expecting to see a hand count to test the system, as discussed during the Council approval of IRV.
   
27 38.5%
I assume that the software worked properly to tabulate according to the rules.
   
19 27.1%
The results make sense to me, so I don't see a need to further test the tabulation system.
   
9 12.8%
I am unsure, and want to know that the rules, software and count were thoroughly tested by an independent party.
   
39 55.7%
I am undecided.
   
6 8.5%
 Totals70100%

13Would you prefer to continue to use the IRV system in future elections?
 
Answer
0%100%
Number of
Responses		Response
Ratio
Yes, it seems to save money and time and gives good results.
   
14 19.4%
Yes. We can continue to improve the good system it allows.
   
9 12.5%
No, it's too hard to understand.
   
17 23.6%
No, I think it can give different results than a more deliberative process of traditional run-offs.
   
36 50.0%
I'm withholding judgment until I learn more.
   
15 20.8%
Other
   
3 4.1%
 Totals72100%

14Do you favor keeping local elections in May, or moving them to a time of year where more people are in town? (check all that apply.)
 
Answer
0%100%
Number of
Responses		Response
Ratio
Keep them in May.
   
16 22.2%
Have them in November, to conform with State and National elections, and their stricter rules.
   
35 48.6%
Move them to early April, while people are still in town.
   
14 19.4%
Move them to March.
   
14 19.4%
Other
   
6 8.3%
 Totals72100%

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