Ranked Choice Voting

Regardless of where we live, we all deserve the opportunity to elect our candidates of choice so that our elected officials are accountable to us and look out for our communities. But for far too often elected officIals have picked their own districts and do not push forward changes that would improve the lives of the people. Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) is an electoral solution that directly addresses the issue of true democratic representation. It is a method by which we could ensure our communities are electing candidates of choice.

What is Ranked Choice Voting?

Ranked-choice voting (RCV) is an electoral system in which voters rank candidates in order of preference on their ballots. Instead of selecting just one candidate, voters have the option to rank multiple candidates according to their preference, typically in order of first choice, second choice, third choice, and so on.

Benefits of Ranked Choice Voting

• Ranking Candidates: Voters can rank candidates based on their preferences, marking their first choice, second choice, and so forth, depending on the number of candidates running.
• Counting Votes: In the counting process, if no candidate receives an outright majority (more than 50%) of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed to the remaining candidates according to the next preference on those ballots. This process continues until one candidate achieves a majority and is declared the winner.
• Eliminates Vote Splitting: Ranked-choice voting mitigates the issue of “vote splitting,” where similar candidates can divide the vote and lead to an outcome that does not reflect the majority’s preferences.
• Promotes Majority Support: By requiring candidates to win with a majority of votes, ranked-choice voting aims to ensure that the winning candidate has broader support among voters.
• Encourages Positive Campaigning: Candidates in ranked-choice voting systems may seek to appeal to a broader range of voters, as they can benefit from being ranked as a second or third choice by supporters of other candidates.
• Reduces Need for Runoff Elections: Ranked-choice voting can eliminate the need for separate runoff elections, saving time and resources.