Understanding the Ranked Choice Voting Act: A step toward fairer elections

The Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) Act was introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) and Congressman Don Beyer (VA-08) and in the Senate by Senator Peter Welch (D-VT). The RCV Act aims to reform how elections are conducted by allowing voters to rank candidates in order of preference rather than choosing just one. This system is designed to make elections more democratic and representative, addressing common issues in traditional "first-past-the-post" voting, where a candidate can win without a majority of support.

How ranked choice voting works

In a RCV election, voters rank candidates in order of their preference: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. If a candidate gets a majority, over 50%, of the first-choice votes, they win. If no one has a majority, the candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed to the voters' second choices. This process repeats until one candidate has a majority.

Ranked choice voting:

• Promotes majority support: A winner must have broad appeal, ensuring they have the support of a majority of voters.

• Discourages negative campaigning: Candidates are encouraged to appeal to a wider audience, including second- and third-choice voters, reducing polarization.

• Eliminates the "spoiler" effect: Voters can support their preferred candidate without worrying about splitting the vote, as their second or third choices still count.

• Increased voter choice: RCV gives more diverse candidates a fair shot by leveling the playing field.

Provisions of the Ranked Choice Voting Act

The RCV Act would:

• Require the use of RCV for all U.S. Congressional primary and general elections starting in 2028

• Eliminate the use of runoff elections in the 10 states that currently use them for U.S. Congressional elections

• Make payments to states for the implementation of RCV such as updating voting machines and software

Show your support for the Ranked Choice Voting Act by contacting Congress today!