Pierce County voters expressed second thoughts about ranked-choice voting Tuesday, as an effort to repeal the election system was passing easily in early returns.

Also Tuesday, voters appeared to reject a proposal to extend term limits for county executive and council. Voters also were rejecting another amendment that would move elections for some county offices to odd-numbered years, though the results were close.

Proposed Charter Amendment 3 would repeal ranked-choice voting just three years after voters approved the system.

Under that system, there is no primary election for most county offices. Instead, all of the candidates advance to the general election, and voters rank up to three candidates in order of preference.

If no candidate gets a majority of votes, the winner is determined by a process of elimination. The candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and the second choices of the candidates’ supporters are counted. The process of elimination continues until one candidate wins a majority of votes.

Supporters say the system serves voters by encouraging more candidates in the November election. They say it can save money in the long run by eliminating the cost of primary elections.

Opponents say ranked-choice voting is confusing and costly. By the end of this year Pierce County will have spent $2.3 million on the voting system. The county has budgeted another $500,000 for next year.

County voters got their first taste of ranked choice voting last year, when four candidates competed for county executive and six vied for assessor-treasurer. A non-scientific survey later showed tens of thousands of voters didn’t like the system.

Voters also used ranked-choice voting to determine the winner of this year’s race for county auditor, which featured three candidates.

If voters repeal ranked-choice voting, Pierce County would use the top two primary election system beginning next year. Under that system, the top two vote recipients in the primary election advance to the general election, regardless of their party affiliation.

Voters also considered two other proposed amendments to the county charter:

 • Proposed Charter Amendment 1 was failing in early returns. It would give the county executive and council more time in office. Currently, they are limited to two consecutive four-year terms. If the proposal passes, they could serve three consecutive terms.

The proposal also would move elections for executive and council to odd-numbered years (like 2009). Currently, they’re held in even-numbered years (like 2010).

Supporters say extending term limits would give Pierce County officials more clout on regional boards that divvy up transportation dollars. And they say it gives elected officials more power to counteract the influence of lobbyists and bureaucrats.

Opponents say two terms is enough for elected officials to finish their work, and that it’s self-serving for them to propose extending their terms.

 • Proposed Charter Amendment 2 also was failing in early returns. It would move elections for assessor-treasurer, auditor and sheriff to even-numbered years.

David Wickert: 253-274-7341

david.wickert@thenewstribune.com

blog.thenewstribune.com/politics