City's Ranked Voting Gets Judge's Green Light

 A federal judge has ruled that the novel system San Francisco uses to elect city officials does not violate voters' civil rights.

U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit challenging the city's ranked-choice election process.

 The system allows voters to rank their top three choices for mayor, supervisor and city attorney and is designed to eliminate costly runoff elections.

Six voters, including an unsuccessful supervisor candidate, alleged in a lawsuit filed in February that they were disenfranchised by being limited to only three choices.

Seeborg said the limitation was not a significant burden.

Plaintiffs lawyer James Parrinello says his clients have not decided whether to appeal.
 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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