In each of the 2009, 2011, and 2012 ACS elections for Directors-at-Large (Chem. Eng. News, Nov. 23, 2009, p 7; Nov. 28, 2011, p 9; Nov. 26, 2012, p 7) one of the elected candidates received votes from <50% of the voters (Councilors).  In each election two Directors-at-Large were elected from a slate of four or five candidates.  A method is proposed to carry out elections in which two or more candidates are elected with each being elected by a majority of the voters.  The method (multiple instant run-off) involves voters prioritizing their votes.  The first Director-at-Large is elected by a majority in exactly the same way a single candidate would be elected from three or more candidates by the instant run-off procedure.  In the instant run-off procedure the candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated, and the second choice votes on those ballots where the eliminated candidate was the first choice are added to the first choice votes for the other candidates.  This procedure is repeated until one candidate has a majority of the votes.  Then, in the multiple instant run-off procedure, all the votes for the first candidate elected are removed from the voting priority list of each voter.  The second successful candidate is then determined in exactly the same manner as the first using the new prioritized list of each voter.  Thus both candidates are elected by a majority in a single election.  If more than two candidates are to be elected, the preceding procedure is repeated until the required number of candidates has been elected.  Institution of the multiple instant run-off procedure for all ACS elections where more than one candidate is elected would make all elections, for President-Elect, District Directors, and Directors-at-Large, operate under the instant run-off procedure.

Election of ACS Directors-at-Large by a minority of voters in 2009, 2011, and 2012: A possible solution to the problem, multiple instant run-off voting

246th National Meeting (2013)

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