Washington Post LTE: Celebrate Arlington’s voting

Letter to the Editor
January 14, 2023 | Ankit Jain, Washington

With a new year, there are new laws and one deserves particular attention and celebration. Last month, the Arlington County Board unanimously voted to adopt a ranked-choice voting pilot program in June’s county board primaries.

Arlington County is the first locality in the state to take advantage of laws passed by the General Assembly allowing local governing bodies the option to adopt ranked choice. I serve on the board of UpVote Virginia, an organization whose mission is to elevate the voices of Virginia voters through nonpartisan education, advocacy and grassroots engagement. I can’t think of a better way to elevate the voices of voters in Arlington than with ranked-choice voting. Arlington’s pilot requires a simple change to the ballot that enables a better voter experience, better campaigns, and ultimately, better government. Importantly, it helps women and communities of color elect their fair share of candidates, especially when used in multiseat elections such as the one that will take place for the Arlington Board this year.

I hope this momentum behind ranked-choice voting continues in three ways: First, other localities in Virginia should adopt similar programs in the coming months. Second, the General Assembly should move forward with a proposal to give Virginia’s Democratic ad Republican parties the option to opt in to ranked choice for presidential primaries. These elections typically attract many candidates, and ranked choice is a simple way to ensure that voters can truly have their voices heard in a sometimes chaotic and divisive process. Finally, as a Northern Virginia native who lives and does pro-democracy advocacy in D.C., I hope the D.C. Council passes the Voter Ownership, Integrity, Choice, and Equity Amendment Act to bring ranked-choice voting to D.C.