no-IRVThe knives are out in the battle over instant-runoff voting (IRV) in St. Paul. The No Bad Ballots Committee has filed a second complaint alleging nefarious campaign practices by supporters of a ballot measure that would adopt the new voting system.

At issue is a mailing that the Saint Paul Better Ballot Campaign, which is running the pro-IRV campaign, has sent out to potential voters. It claims a wide array of supporters for the ballot measure, from President Obama to the Star Tribune to the Minnesota DFL party.

But Chuck Repke, co-chair of the No Bad Ballots Committee, charges that the claims are patently false. Under state election law, a campaign cannot claim the support of an individual unless that person has provided written permission. Clearly President Obama, Repke notes, hasn’t taken time out from his schedule to provide written support for the local ballot initiative.

“I was surprised that Santa Claus and Jesus Christ weren’t on the list,” Repke says. “You can’t be more deceptive than to claim the endorsement of the President of the United States when you don’t have it. I’m just flabbergasted.”

Repke is particularly peeved that the pro-IRV group is claiming DFL support. He notes that at the St. Paul DFL convention in March, a resolution to support the ballot measure was explicitly voted down by party activists. And in a town dominated by Democrats, the party’s purported backing could carry weight with voters.

“They cannot claim DFL endorsement,” Repke says. “These people know that. They were at the convention. I saw them there. They were standing next to me.”

Jeanne Massey, executive director of FairVote Minnesota, which is helping run the pro-IRV campaign, insists that any violations of campaign laws are simply innocent technicalities. She points out that the state DFL party added support for IRV to the party platform last year and that President Obama is a well known supporter of the voting system — even if he hasn’t explicitly endorsed the St. Paul referendum.

“If they are complaining about the word ‘endorse,’ then let them complain,” she says. “Our intent is to convey to the public that they support the concept of instant-runoff voting.”

Minneapolis will utilize instant-runoff voting, whereby voters rank their candidates in order of preference, for the first time on Tuesday. At the same time, St. Paul voters will determine whether to adopt a similar system.

Last week, Repke filed an initial complaint with the Office of Administrative Hearings claiming that supporters of the ballot measure were falsely advertising support from the League of Women Voters. But the Better Ballot Committee insists there’s no merit to his charge.

“The facts alleged by Repke are patently false based on previous actions taken by the League of Women Voters,” writes attorney Jay Benanav, who is representing the pro-IRV group, in responding to the complaint.

But Repke is unimpressed by suggestions that any campaign violations were committed out of innocence rather than malice. He believes the alleged infractions should be vigorously prosecuted.

“Karl Rove wouldn’t pull crap like this,” he says. “I’ve never seen a more evil campaign than this and I’ve done politics for 30-some odd years in this town.”