Backers of a unique voting method are trying once again to convince voters in Eugene and Lane County to adopt the system.
It’s called “STAR voting.” That stands for “Score Then Automatic Runoff.” Voters would rank each candidate with a system of zero to five stars. The two highest scoring candidates are finalists, and face off in an instant runoff. If a voter’s top choice doesn’t make the runoff, their vote goes to the finalist they ranked the highest.
Last fall, Lane County voters narrowly rejected an initiative to adopt STAR voting. The group behind that effort is trying to get the concept before voters again.
Campaign manager Sara Wolk said they’re hoping that more voter awareness this time will yield a different result. “The places that voted 'no' were places that as a campaign we hadn’t really made it out into those communities, and we didn’t have volunteers in those areas,” she said.
Wolk said volunteers are currently gathering signatures from voters in the city of Eugene, with a goal of getting the initiative on the ballot in May, 2020. If approved, it would apply to Eugene municipal races, such as those for city council and mayor.
Separately, the group is trying to get STAR voting back on the ballot for all of Lane County. If they get enough signatures, it would go on the November, 2020 ballot. In that case, the voting method would apply to countywide races, such as those for county commissioner.
If both signature gathering efforts are successful, voters in Eugene would see the STAR voting initiative on their ballot twice next year: Once in May for city races, and once in November for county races. Voters in Eugene can sign the initiative petitions for both the city and county election, since those are technically separate efforts.
