Committee advances charter amendment to let Denver voters decide on instant-runoff (ranked‑choice) voting

The Denver Finance and Governance Committee on July 15 voted to advance a charter amendment that would let Denver voters decide whether municipal elections should use instant‑runoff (ranked‑choice) voting (IRV) instead of the current runoff system.

The proposal was moved by Councilmember Daryl Watson and seconded by Councilmember Kevin Lewis; the motion passed in committee and will go to the full City Council. The measure’s language includes a trigger clause: at‑large multiwinner races would convert to ranked methods only after the Denver Clerk and Recorder certifies that audit software and procedures meet state auditability standards.

Committee chair Amanda Sawyer, the councilmember representing District 5, introduced the item and said proponents believe the method yields winners with broader support and reduces the “spoiler” problem. Sarah Ferdy, a co‑sponsor, framed the change as grounded in academic literature and social choice theory and said ranked ballots encourage candidates to seek wider support: "candidates have a real incentive to reach as many voters as possible," Ferdy said. Supporters cited recent decisions by the Colorado secretary of state and national studies; the sponsors told the committee the secretary of state has issued the rule needed to allow risk‑limiting audits (RLAs) for single‑winner IRV races.

Backer…