A record number of cities used ranked choice voting (RCV) to choose candidates this year, and after Tuesday’s elections, three more are poised to join them. With the support of RepresentUs and local partners Rank MI Vote, Ranked Choice Voting for Colorado, and Maine League of Women Voters, voters adopted RCV in Ann Arbor, Mich., Broomfield, Colo., and Westbrook, Maine on Tuesday.
RCV is gaining momentum in states and localities, and is the fastest growing nonpartisan voting reform across the country. This Election Day, 31 cities in seven states are using the alternative voting method for their elections, including 19 cities in Utah. From Maine to Alaska, 9.6 million voters live in jurisdictions that employ RCV. RepresentUs has a long track record of supporting state and local RCV campaigns across the country, including major victories in Alaska, Maine, Utah, New York City, Memphis, and Austin.
RepresentUs is participating in a national press call hosted by FairVote on RCV in the 2021 elections on Thursday, November 4 at 11:00AM ET.
“Adopting ranked choice voting in more towns, cities and states across the country will go a long way toward reducing the polarization that plagues our politics, and it’s a way to end the two party duopoly at the ballot box. RCV gives voters more choices, it ensures that the majority of voters approve of the eventual election winner, and it saves money,” said RepresentUs CEO Josh Silver. “I’m thrilled that the movement to put voters first has secured three more local victories in Colorado, Maine and Michigan, and we look forward to continuing the momentum.”
RCV allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference: first choice, second choice, and so on. When the votes are counted, if a candidate has a majority of the first choice votes, they win. But if no candidate receives a majority of first choices, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and voters who ranked that candidate first have their vote instantly go to their second choice. This process, also called an “instant runoff,” continues until a candidate secures a majority.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Ross Sherman, RepresentUs PR Strategist, 207-749-2660, rsherman@represent.us