RALEIGH (AP) ó A House committee wants to expand a trial voting program for close elections.
The House panel that oversees election law approved a plan Wednesday that would extend an instant runoff election pilot program for three more years.
Instant runoff voting allows a winner to be named in close contests without holding a separate and sometimes costly second election. It requires voters to rank candidates by preference instead of just picking one.
The plan allows for the alternative voting system to be used in partisan primaries and nonpartisan general elections. Two cities participated in the program in 2007, while no governments participated this year.
The bill now heads to a House judiciary committee.