Secretary of State approves certification of voting system for Pierce County's Ranked Choice Voting

June 13, 2008

Contact: Brian Zylstra
Deputy Communications Director
(360) 902-4173

Olympia...Secretary of State Sam Reed has authorized Pierce County to use its voting equipment for the Ranked Choice Voting system for the Nov. 4 elections for County Executive, County Council and other county offices.

Reed, the state’s chief elections officer, approved the county’s voting system after the Voting Systems Review Board held a public hearing on the system and recommended approval of this provisional certification.

“I understand it’s critically important for Pierce County to have this software to carry out Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) for the county’s citizens,” Reed said. “In fact, it is the only county in Washington using RCV. Our office recently conducted a test for the RCV system, and we approved the results. The software and equipment met the standards established in the testing process.”

In November 2006, Pierce County voters approved Charter Amendment No. 3 — Instant Runoff Voting, which provides that the election of all county officials, except judges and the prosecuting attorney, be conducted using Ranked Choice Voting. All qualifying candidates will appear directly on the General Election ballot.

Ranked Choice Voting allows Pierce County voters to rank their first-, second- and third-choice candidates for certain county offices. For the RCV races, no primary will be held. The RCV election will be held at the General Election.

Beginning this year, Pierce County will use Ranked Choice Voting to elect all county offices. The following county offices are up for election in 2008: Executive, Sheriff, Assessor-Treasurer, and County Council district positions 2, 3, 4 and 6.

All other races that Pierce County voters will vote on this year – including congressional, statewide and local – will appear on the August 19 Primary ballot.