Few problems reported with voting in Minneapolis

by Curtis Gilbert, Minnesota Public Radio

Minneapolis — Voter turnout is light and few problems are being reported today as Minneapolis uses instant runoff voting for the first time.

The new system is also called ranked choice voting because it allows voters to rank up to three candidates in order of preference for every office on the ballot.

Minneapolis election judge Wayland Noland was skeptical about instant runoff voting, but so far he says the election has been manageable.

"I was afraid we'd get a large number of voters and there would be considerable confusion," he said. "As it turns out, this is just as dead as a primary. And there is some confusion, but it isn't as bad as I'd anticipated."

Minneapolis did not have a primary this year, because instant runoff voting combines the primary and general elections.

The new system applies only to city offices. Minneapolis will still elect county, state, federal and school board offices the old-fashioned way.

St. Paul voters are deciding today whether to switch to instant runoff voting, too.