Benefits of ranked choice voting for Virginians
Ranked choice voting improves elections by allowing voters to rank candidates by order of preference. Instead of a single choice, it allows voters to more fully express their preference by ranking candidates — providing voters with more choices.
Ranked choice voting rewards candidates who build coalitions, rather than those who rely on a narrow base of voters. This results in representation that has majority support, a more representative government, less polarization, and less partisan gridlock.
In recent years, ranked choice voting has gained momentum in states and localities across the country — including right here in Virginia, where both parties have embraced this reform. Ranked choice voting was used by the Republican Party of Virginia in its statewide nominating elections in 2021, and Arlington became the first locality to adopt ranked choice voting for their County Board primaries in 2023.
How can Virginians benefit from ranked choice voting?
Ranked choice voting results in more representative government
In our current system, elections with multiple candidates, such as primaries, often result in a winner with only 20-30% of the vote. This means that 70-80% of voters voted against the candidate that won. With ranked choice voting, voters can express their support for multiple candidates by selecting their preference for first, second, third, and so on. The ultimate winner of the election must receive more than 50% support from voters — creating a more representative government.
Ranked choice voting rewards candidates who build consensus
With ranked choice voting, candidates must appeal to a broader coalition of voters, beyond just their base. Candidates need a combination of first, second, and third place votes to win a majority, so they must reach out and attract new supporters.
Ranked choice voting diminishes negative campaigning
Candidates are disincentivized from negative campaigning since they may need second place votes from supporters of their opponents if they’re going to win. Negative campaigning alienates voters and makes it much harder to build a coalition of supporters. Candidates are incentivized to highlight where they may agree with other candidates, rather than reflexively vilifying their opponents.
No fear of splitting the vote
Because you can rank more than one preference, voters are freed from worrying how others will vote and which candidates are more or less likely to win. Candidates can compete without fear of splitting the vote with like-minded individuals.
More opportunities for candidates and choices for voters
Without the fear of splitting the vote, more women and people of color are encouraged to run for office. Candidates aren’t pressured to wait their turn and aren’t perceived as spoilers. Voters also get more choice with more candidates to choose from without feeling the need to play pundit and trying to vote strategically.
Ranked choice voting is a commonsense change to the ballot that enables a better voting experience, better campaigns, and ultimately, better government. Consistently, polls show that the vast majority of voters who use ranked choice voting understand and like it. From New York City to Alaska, voter turnout was up, there was no increase in ballot errors, and most people participated fully in the ranking process.
Want to see more ranked choice voting in Virginia? Sign up to learn more or volunteer with us to spread the word about ranked choice voting across the Commonwealth.
