Below is a collection of frequently asked questions about electoral reform. If you have questions that were not answered, please send us your questions using this form.
What is RCV?
In short, Ranked Choice Voting is a system of voting in which voters rank each candidate in order of preference. If any candidate receives a majority of the votes (more than 50%), they win – same as our current Plurality system. However, if no candidate receives a majority of the votes, then the candidate with the lowest number of votes is eliminated and their votes get distributed among the remaining candidates as determined by the second preference ranking of their voters. In other words, for those who marked the eliminated candidate as their first choice, their second choice pick is now counted for the next round of voting. This continues until one candidate receives over 50% of the votes, therefore ensuring a majority winner.
What are the advantages of RCV?
There are several advantages to Ranked Choice Voting. RCV encourages a larger number of more diverse candidates to run in the election, and provides them with a greater opportunity at winning. In the traditional voting system, many voters feel constrained to vote for one of the two major parties, as a vote for any other party could actually end up helping their least preferred candidate by depriving a second-preference candidate of their vote. With RCV, voters can vote for the candidate they truly want, and if that candidate is eliminated, the voter’s vote counts towards their second choice, avoiding the possibility that their vote doesn’t count for a party they like. RCV also encourages more positive campaigning, which could potentially lead to less polarization among candidates and voters. Candidates are not only counting on votes from the voters who marked them as the 1st choice, but they also rely on votes from voters who marked them as the 2nd or 3rd choice. Therefore, candidates are more likely to campaign in a positive manner to garner support from as many voters as possible.
How do I fill out a RCV ballot?
To fill out a ballot using RCV, rank the candidates in the race in order of your preference (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and so on). Mark your preferences until you have ranked every candidate that you like, even a little. (You do not need to rank them all). If you would like to practice filling out a ballot using RCV, use this example from Arlington County’s elections.
What is an exhausted ballot?
An exhausted ballot occurs when a voter’s ballot can no longer be counted because the candidate(s) they voted for are no longer in the race. This can happen in ranked choice voting elections when a voter only ranks one or some of the candidates. When a voter has only ranked candidates that did not make it to the final round, this is considered an exhausted or inactive ballot.
What does it take to implement RCV nationwide?
Adopting RCV nationwide would take federal legislation for change to be enacted across all states, which is unlikely. Alternatively, individual counties and states can adopt RCV through state legislation and ballot initiatives or measures.
Is Alternative Voting the same as Ranked Choice Voting?
Yes. Several names refer to this system of electoral reform such as the Alternative Vote, Ranked Choice Voting, and Instant Runoff Voting. In general, they are used interchangeably to discuss the same electoral system.
Does a candidate have to receive a majority of the vote under RCV?
Yes, the candidate that wins receives a majority of the vote. This typically makes a larger difference among local and statewide elections. Under single-member district Plurality (the current system in most places), if there are several candidates on the ballot, it is possible for a candidate to win while receiving support from less than 50% of the voters. With RCV, the candidates are eliminated until one receives more than 50%, therefore guaranteeing that the winning candidate has a majority of support from their constituents.
What is Proportional Representation?
There are several forms of Proportional Representation, however, the idea behind them all is to elect members in rough proportion to the different opinions of the voters. PR works for multi-member bodies of legislature, such as the U.S. House of Representatives. This system requires that there are multiple winners per district (instead of the single member districts we have now). PR seats are distributed proportionally to the percent of votes cast for different parties. In PR systems, voters have a much greater chance of voting for a winner because there are multiple winners per district.
What are the advantages of PR?
There are several benefits to a PR system. PR increases the diversity in ideology among a district as there can be more than one party representing a single district. Additionally, PR allows for third party candidates to have a chance at being represented, eliminating the idea of a “wasted” vote and allowing more voters to feel represented. This system also decreases polarization by allowing for more moderate voices to rise up, and voters have more choice with this system. Additionally, the PR system reduces gerrymandering and the effects of gerrymandering. The PR system is most likely to create a truly representative government in which more voters feel represented and more ideologies have the opportunity to arise in our government.
What are the different kinds of PR systems?
Proportional Ranked Choice Voting: In this system, voters rank the candidates in order of preference. The difference between this and single member RCV is that candidates are elected when they reach the minimum quota, and any excess votes are transferred to the remaining candidates who did not achieve quota.
Party List: The most commonly used form of PR, voters vote for a party and each party receives a portion of the seats relative to the proportion of votes cast for that party. For example, if Republicans received 33% of the vote, they would receive 33% of the seats.
Mixed Member Proportional: In the MMP system, voters elect half of the legislative seats using single member districts, and the other half using a party-list system.
To learn more about the different types of PR systems, visit our page about proportional representation.
How will PR affect the two party system?
Proportional Representation tends to create a multi-party system by nature. This is because PR systems utilize multi-member districts with representatives allocated in proportion to votes they receive. Because there are multiple representatives per district, PR allows for multiple parties to be represented within a district. For example, if Democrats receive 51% of the votes, in a district with 4 seats they would receive two seats in proportion to the support they received, instead of simply taking control of the entire district because they received the majority support. Naturally, this allows for third parties to have a higher chance at having representation within a district.
How will the implementation of PR affect California elections?
Should California adopt a PR system to elect its representatives, there would be fewer districts in the state, with multiple members per district. This would make congressional races more competitive in the state, and would allow for the emergence of third party representatives within the state, as well as a more accurate representation of Democrat and Republican voters in the state.
What would it take for it to be implemented nationwide?
Since PR alters the way we elect members of a multi-member legislative body, to be implemented on a national level, PR would most likely be adopted by the U.S. House of Representatives. For this to occur, Congress would probably have to pass legislation allowing if not requiring all states to elect their representatives using the PR system. Alternatively, individual states could alter their states laws to ensure the PR system is used to elect their state’s representatives. However, for that to be effective on a national level, all 50 states would have to change their state laws. This change, while seemingly a large shift, is completely constitutional. Congress came close to implementing electoral reform through the introduction of the Fair Representation Act, a bill that would require P-RCV to be used when electing all Senators and U.S. Representatives.
Why do we need electoral reform?
Several reasons! Our current system of Single Member District Plurality (SMDP) decreases voter turnout, increases negative campaigning, hinders minority representation in politics, and encourages a two-party system. The two-party system that is a result of SMDP is the largest problem with our current electoral system, as it limits voter choice, therefore increasing political polarization. Furthermore, due to the fact that candidates are simply trying to get the most votes, they use negative campaign tactics to decrease support for their opponent. Additionally, many voters are not represented because only one winner can be chosen, therefore the people who voted for the losing candidate are not at all represented.
How should our system work?
By adopting either Ranked Choice Voting for single member districts OR adopting a form of Proportional Representation and changing single member districts to multi member districts, we can change the negative campaigning and improve the quality and representation of our democracy. Ideally, these forms of electoral reform will allow our democracy to become more representative of every voters’ opinions, and will allow the voter’s to feel heard during an election.