Its value is a subject of continued debate. That debate will be renewed as a result of the apathetic May Day debacle. A requirement for a runoff was included in the Charter adopted in 1975 when Anchorage voters chose to unify the Greater Anchorage Area Borough and the three cities that were within its borders. Such a provision had gained favor after an earlier borough election saw a candidate gain an assembly seat with only 30 percent of the vote. The provision remained in effect until voters scrapped it after a yawner similar to the one just experienced.
Runoff elections are costly.
In many cases they have little interest, as was shown 10 days ago. Before we jump to again throw out the requirement, though, let s remember that the majority of voters may not always favor a candidate who gets the highest number of votes in a crowded field. A case in point is Alaska s most recent election for governor where a split among Republicans gave the victory to the Democrat. Had there been a runoff, that outcome might well have been different. If the cost per vote is high, it s because the citizenry fails to do its job.