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State lawmakers target Memphis with a ban on instant runoff voting

tn.gov
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Republican lawmakers in Tennessee have passed a ban against instant runoff voting in elections.

The House and Senate votes Monday seek to end a long-running legal dispute between the state and the city of Memphis, where voters still haven’t used the method for a city election since voting to allow it in 2008.

Residents voted against repealing the system in 2018.

Tennessee Elections Coordinator Mark Goins has ruled that the approach isn’t allowed under state law.

For years, the issue has been tied up in administrative challenges against the state and lawsuits, including one filed just last week.

The system lets voters rank choices, avoiding runoffs when no candidate tops 50%.

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