Ranked-choice voting, also known as preferential voting or instant runoff voting, is an electoral system that allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference on their ballots. Instead of just choosing who you want to win, you fill out the ballot saying who is your first choice, second choice, or third choice (or more as needed) for each position. The system is designed to ensure that the winning candidate has the support of a majority of voters, rather than just a plurality. If no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed to the remaining candidates based on the voters second-choice preferences. This process continues until one candidate has a majority of the votes.
Ranked-choice voting has gained popularity in recent years, with more than 11 cities in 7 states, including San Francisco, CA, and Portland, ME, using it in their elections. Proponents of ranked-choice voting argue that it promotes more civil and issue-based campaigns, encourages candidates to appeal to a broader range of voters, and reduces the need for costly runoff elections.
