Okay, to summarize this series of posts discussing Vermont, IRV and the 3 party effect on our state elections: it all adds up to the simple conclusion that Vermont's two biggest political parties need instant runoff voting.

Here's a quick summary:

• Vermont, the third party and IRV introduced the fact that the Vermont Progressive Party draws votes from all over Vermont's political spectrum.
• 2002 and the VT Lt Gov's race looked at the Progressive draw in that statewide race
• The third candidate effect in Vermont in 2006 looked at our latest State Auditor contest and how the Progressives probably threw the election to the Democratic candidate
• Splitting votes in 2000 looked at another race just to illustrate the draw Vermont's Progressive Party has from all over the political spectrum
• A blip in the Northeast Kingdom? showed us how a long time Republican representative can be beat by a Progressive
• Republican to Progessive showed a Progressive taking a Republican House seat and then keeping it
• Vermont's Orange-1 district and the third party illustrated another Republican to Progressive switch in Vermont's House
• Brattleboro's representation looks at a Democratic to Progressive switch in the Windham-3-3 district
• and Democratic to Progressive part 2 repeats the above in the one time Democratic seat held for decades by now Senator Starr

These posts are not intended to boost the Progressive Party. The sole intent is to demonstrate the need by both the Repubs and Dems for instant runoff voting.

As the Progressives grow and get more aggressive they will continue to draw votes from all over, and as a result we will see more and more vote splitting resulting in increased elections decided by much less than a majority.