Examining Election Reform Efforts
Ranked choice voting (RCV) — also known as instant runoff voting (IRV) — allows voters to rank candidates for office in order of preference: first, second, third and so forth. Votes that do not help voters’ top choices win count for their next choice.
Advocates of ranked choice voting say it increases fairness, encourages higher voter turnout, and eliminates problems like vote-splitting and unrepresentative outcomes that can arise when more than two candidates run for a single position.
Efforts to to enact ranked choice voting reflect widespread disaffection with the current climate of angry and divisive politics.
Professor Larry Jacobs and PhD candidate Penny Thomas reviewed the track record of ranked choice voting where it is in use, to determine whether it has actually led to less rancor and greater voter engagement. Here is their report.
Where’s the Evidence Supporting Ranked Choice Voting Claims?