Instant runoff ballots can ensure the election calendar will not present an obstacle to overseas ballots being returned in time to be counted. Overseas voters are able to indicate their preferences for multiple election rounds by ranking candidates, thereby eliminating the need to return multiple ballots.
This solution has been adopted by a number of states and cities to protect the voting rights of their military and overseas voters.
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The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) of the U.S. Department of Defense have recommended that ballots be mailed to overseas voters at least 45 days before an election. States complying with this requirement have had to lengthen their campaign seasons by moving primary elections to August from September and runoff elections all the way to mid-December. Although these changes are helpful to overseas voters, they result in longer, more expensive campaigns for voters back home.
Local elections pose an even greater problem than federal elections for military and overseas voters. Because local elections are not covered by federal laws such as the Uniformed and Overseas Citizen Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) that protect overseas voters, some local runoff elections occur three weeks or less after the first round. This makes it almost impossible for overseas voters to stay connected to their community's democratic process.
The ranked ballot solution is also applicable in jurisdictions that do not hold runoff elections. In these places, overseas voters can submit a ranked ballot for a primary election. Their rankings are then used to determine their general election preference without the need for a second ballot.
The following jurisdictions have adopted instant runoff ballots for military and overseas voters:
Louisiana has used this system since 1990. The Arkansas legislature initially adopted ranked ballots for military voters only; in 2007, it voted unanimously to extend the program to all overseas voters. The use of ranked ballots for overseas voters has received pre-clearance from the U.S. Department of Justice under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.