Ranked Choice Voting
What Is Ranked Choice Voting?
Ranked Choice Voting (RCV)—sometimes called instant-runoff voting—is an electoral system where voters rank candidates in order of preference rather than voting for a single candidate. This approach replaces the traditional "first-past-the-post" method and is designed to produce outcomes that better reflect the collective preference of the electorate.
How RCV Works:
- Voting Process:
- Ranking Choices: When casting a ballot, each voter ranks the candidates in order of preference (1st choice, 2nd choice, and so on).
- No Vote Splitting: Voters are encouraged to express their true preferences without fear that choosing a less-popular candidate will inadvertently help their least-favored candidate win.
- Counting Votes:
- First Round: Initially, only first-choice votes are considered. If a candidate secures an outright majority (over 50%), they are declared the winner.
- Elimination and Redistribution: If no candidate has a majority:
- The candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated.
- Votes for the eliminated candidate are reallocated to each voter's next preferred candidate.
- This process continues—a series of elimination rounds with vote redistribution—until one candidate achieves a majority.
- Outcome Reflection:
- Consensus Winner: The final winning candidate is one that has broad support across the electorate, not just a plurality of the initial votes.
- Incentivizing Positive Campaigning: Because candidates benefit not only from their first-choice support but also from being ranked as a second or third option, they are incentivized to present more moderate, coalition-friendly policies.