Three years after Oakland voters approved instant runoff voting for city elections, one Oakland mayoral candidate is questioning whether or not the city, county and voters are ready for it.

In a letter to Alameda County Administrator Susan Muranishi, former state Senate leader Don Perata brings up a variety of questions and concerns about the possibility of using instant runoff voting in next year's city elections.

Oakland voters approved instant runoff voting under Measure O in 2006. In instant runoff voting — also called ranked choice voting, as county officials refer to it — there is no need for a primary election. Instead, voters rank their choice of candidates in the fall's general election. The measure called for such ranked choice voting to start in 2010.

However, in Perata's letter he questions if there is enough time to educate voters on the new system, if the new system is safe and secure and the cost of using such an "experimental voting system."

"This is our most sacred right," Perata's campaign manager, Larry Tramutola, said. "We need to make sure it's done right and not something that's just rushed.

"Too many times in Oakland, things just get thrown out and then someone has to go clean it up," Tramutola added, pointing to the recent controversy over city parking meter hours.

City Councilwoman Jean Quan, however, said the letter was more an attack on her mayoral bid than true concern over the new

"Absolutely, he knows I will do better in a fall election, so he wants both elections," Quan said. "He knows less people vote in the June election."

Quan said there is substantial evidence that especially minorities do not turn out to vote in primary elections, something that could hurt her campaign.

The general thought is Quan's mayoral hopes could take a hit if there were both a primary and a general election. It is no secret Perata is likely to be able to easily raise funding for his campaign, meaning he would not have problems running in the two elections. Also, Perata's name recognition likely is higher among voters, so more time until the election could benefit Quan.

Tramutola, however, said Perata's concern about ranked choice voting are legitimate and not an effort to gain an advantage in the election. He said there are additional concerns that current city election ordinances do not take into account certain elections were primaries not held, and the current city budget does not take into account for the massive educational campaign among voters that will have to occur before ranked choice voting could take place.

Tramutola added that these are merely concerns by Perata and that he has not come out condemning the new system.

"I think Jean and others are making a mountain out of a mole hill," he added.

The League of Women Voters and other ranked choice voting proponents will hold a news conference today on the steps of Oakland City Hall to voice their support for the city to use ranked choice voting in the fall.

Dave Macdonald, Alameda County's registrar of voters, said the county's voting machines have been upgraded to handle ranked choice voting. He said his office is awaiting approval from the office of California Secretary of State Debra Bowen, something he is "optimistic" will happen soon — possibly within days.

After that approval is received, it will be up to city officials to certify a ranked choice general election in November, something Quan said it appears they would likely have to do by law.

"The voters have already spoken on this issue," Quan said. "This is what they want."