The runoff election cost more than $50 per voter, said Bob Hall, executive director of Democracy North Carolina.
In a news release, Hall said Tuesday's vote took about $4 million to operate about 3,000 polling places and process the ballots of about 75,000 voters. In some counties, turnout was so low that the cost per vote reached $70, Hall said.
"Local taxpayers foot the bill, not the state, which may be one reason why state lawmakers have been slow to address the problem of expensive, low-turnout runoffs," Hall said in the news release.
Hall supports instant runoff voting, in which voters can mark a first and second choice on election day. The state has tested the system, but it is not used widely.
"There's got to be a better way than these embarrassing statewide runoff elections," Hall said.
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Re: Runoff cost $50 per person, Hall says
Mr. Hall's estimate is incorrect. Cost per voter should include those who chose not to vote. If that is done, than the cost was about $1 per voter.
That said, there are better ways to deal with low turnout runoffs other than adding confusion and undermining the integrity of our elections.
1. Change threasholds so runoffs are rare and used only when obviously needed.
2. Mailing ballots on low interest runoffs would be cheaper than current runnofs or IRV. Currently our voting equipement is unable to handle IRV. IRV does not save money because you would have to invest in new equipement and software, and programming costs every election, not to mention the vast educational costs involved.
3. Eliminate Runoffs. 42 states do not have them.
4. Stop electing low interest offices. Even if we had IRV, how many could have intelligently ranked the four candidates viaing for the Democratic nomination for Labor Commissioner.