U.S. RCV Updates

Latest Update of Ranked-Choice-Voting (RCV) in the U.S.

California

Coalition kicks off RCV Voting Campaign, that is the Goal of a New Coalition which Officially launched earlier this week. The California RCV Coalition introduced itself to the Public, Tuesday, at a point when RCV is having a moment.

"There has been a lot of momentum in the state," said Tom Charron, who represented the Group in a recent Interview. "We've been seeing the results of ranked-choice voting, and the positive effects it has had on local elections, but what there hasn't been is the momentum at a statewide level."

Charron said the Goal of the Coalition is Twofold: Over the Long-Run, achieve Statewide RCV Adoption, and, in the Short Term, offer Support to Local RCV Campaigns to spread the use of the RCV method in the State.

Coalition Members understand that getting RCV passed at the Statewide Level is going to be a Long Game. Garnering the Support and Resources to launch such an Endeavor in the Largest State will take time, accoding to Charron.

Voters in the Golden State are Not completely Unfamiliar with RCV, so the Coalition will have some Foundation from which to work. RCV is already used in a handful of Municipalities, including Two Major Cities: San Francisco and Oakland. Albany, Eureka, and Palm Desert are slated to Implement RCV in 2022.

Proponents argue that RCV ensures the Winner represents a Majority while Eliminating the Cost of a Runoff Election. Advocates also say the RCV can help temper the Hyper-Partisanship that has become a Stain on the U.S. Electoral and Political Processes.

RCV Changes the Incentive System when Candidates have to think about Appealing to Voters to earn Second, Third, or Fourth, choice Positioning. They can't tear down the Voter's First Choice, and they have to find Commonality with other Candidates in order to get the Attention of Voters Outside their Base of Support. "It's clear if we keep on this path, we're in store for a less functional future," he said. "Our government representatives are just going to be at each other's throats."

Opponents of RCV argue that the Voting Method is too Complicated for Voters to understand. Yet, Advocates point to a History of Exit Polls in RCV Jurisdictions that show Voters Like it and want to Continue using it.

Charron also commented on the Nonpartisan nature of RCV. It is Not a Reform that explicitly Benefits a Single Party, and it has garnered Cross-Partisan Support. While some might point to the traditionally "blue" Jurisdictions in which RCV is being Adopted, it has also gained Significant ground in traditionally "red" Jurisdictions like Alaska, and Utah, where it was adopted for Statewide Eelections.

"Across the board, in terms of how [RCV] is implemented, there is no favoritism for one party or the other," said Charron. "It is supported by groups and individuals and elected representatives who are forward-thinking, and are looking to get more accurate representation, and they come from the left and the right."

Members of the California RCV Coalition also span the Political Spectrum, and the Group will continue to bring in New Members as they get to work on RCV Initiatives. The Group's launch was a Big Milestone, and Charron says he expects many New Individual Supporters and Volunteers to come in that will work directly with the Coalition.

"We welcome anyone who is interested in promoting RCV in California to become a supporter and a volunteer for our organization, and have a voice in what our strategy is going to be," he said.

In Eureka, a City of 27,000 people on the Northern California Coast, the Local Government Voted to move to RCV Elections, possibly as soon as 2022.

Nevada

A New Coalition is trying to get Open Primaries and RCV on the Ballot next year. The Proposed Ballot Initiative has been filed with the Secretary of State. Following a Legal Review, Proponents would then need to gather Petition Signatures to put their Concept in Front of Voters. As a Proposed Constitutional Amendment, it would need to be approved in both 2022 and 2024 before taking effect.

Utah

More than 20 Cities used RCV for the First time this year. But, Legislators Blocked an effort to allow additional Voting Options, such as Approval voting. In that System, Voters can Support Multiple Candidates but do Not Rank their Selections.

Vermont

RCV poised to return to Vermont's Largest City, Voters in Burlington will give RCV a Second Shot.

Two-thirds of Voters in Burlington, Cast Ballots in favor of Restoring RCV. If Vermont's Democratic-majority General Assembly and GOP Gov. Phil Scott, also Sign-Off on the Ballot Initiative, RCV will be used for City Council Elections starting next March 2022. And a Rival method, Approval Voting (Voters can Support Multiple Candidates but do Not Rank their Selections), made its Debut in St. Louis, after Winning its own Approval last year.

Burlington was an Early Adopter of RCV in 2005, when Voters chose to Implement it for City Council and Mayoral Elections. However, Five years and Two Mayoral Elections later, Voters decided to Revert Back to Traditional Plurality Voting, after a Controversial Mayor wasEelected through RCV.

After a Decade without RCV, the City Council attempted to put an Initiative to use RCV for All Citywide Elections on the Ballot last November, but the effort was Vetoed by Mayor Miro Weinberge (D). Council Members then Amended the Initiative so RCV would only be used for Council Elections. The Mayor Approved this Narrower use, and the Initiative was placed on the March 2nd, 2022Bballot.

Washington

Voters in Clark County, Washington, will get the Oopportunity in 2022 to decide whether to move to RCV for Future Elections. The County’s Charter Review Commission, which is empowered to put Initiatives on the Ballot, voted Tuesday, to move forward with an RCV Proposal after surveying Residents.

Clark, the Fourth Largest County in Washington, is the Second to put RCV on the Ballot next year. The Charter Commission in San Juan, One of the State’s Smallest Counties, made the same Decision earlier this year.

“We are so glad the Charter Review Commission took this step to allow voters to decide how they want to elect their officials,” said Lisa Ayrault, Executive Director of FairVote Washington, which advocates for RCV. “FairVote Washington looks forward to working with community organizations to educate voters about how ranked-choice voting can improve Clark County elections.”

In the U.S., More than 20 Cities or Counties use RCV, and Alaska just joined Maine as the First States to Implement the System. More than Two Dozen States have Active Campaigns Advocating for RCV.

The Biggest City Debut was in New York City, where Local City Primary Elections used RCV in 2021










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker