Ranked Choice Voting in Action: 2017–2018 and Beyond

Minneapolis, MN St. Paul, MN

Berkeley, CA Cambridge, MA Oakland, CA

San Takoma Park, MD Leandro, CA San Francisco

Santa Fe, NM

“ AS CANDIDATES, WHAT YOU’RE TRYING From Santa Fe’s first-ever RCV race in March to TO DO IS CONVINCE A LARGE UNIVERSE San Francisco’s special June mayoral election OF VOTERS TO SUPPORT YOU. BECAUSE and RCV elections in the Bay Area in November, 2018 saw great success for ranked choice vot- YOU’RE HOPING THAT EVEN IF THEY ing with high turnout and low ballot error rates. DON’T RANK YOU FIRST, MAYBE THEY’LL RANK YOU SECOND OR THIRD.” The biggest RCV story of 2018 was its first use — Rebecca Chavez-Houck,Former Utah State Legislator/ in statewide partisan primaries and general Utah Ranked Choice Voting congressional elections in Maine. After leading in first choices with 33 percent of votes in the Ranked choice voting (RCV) is accelerating seven-way Democratic gubernatorial primary, in adoption and use. Since 2017, the number of ultimately won the nomination with cities with RCV has doubled, it’s won statewide 54 percent support by the final round of the in Maine, and voters in several states will cast RCV tally. Maine voters also voted to keep RCV RCV ballots in the Democratic presidential nom- for future elections by a higher margin than the ination race. initial 2016 adoption.

RCV elections in nine cities and Maine demon- Four-way races in Maine’s general election con- strated high turnout, few ballot errors, and effec- tests for U.S. Senate and two U.S. House seats Support by the final tive and inexpensive election administration. As saw high turnout and few instances of “blank round of the RCV election officials and candidates come to better votes.” RCV shined brightest in Maine’s 2nd Maine tally. understand RCV, it consistently results in better Congressional District, protecting majority rule elections. in the top-financed, “bellwether” race despite a

FairVote.org | [email protected] | 301.270.4616 close contest in which no one earned a majority of first choices. Although Bruce Poliquin nar- “AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT’S REALLY rowly led in the first round, , won a WHAT RANKED CHOICE VOTING IS majority in the final round thanks to independent ALL ABOUT: CREATING ENGAGING, voters. Poliquin’s reaffirmed the decision of the COMPETITIVE ELECTIONS THAT people of Maine. EMPOWER VOTERS TO HAVE THEIR TURNOUT SURPASSES EXPECTATIONS VOICES HEARD AT THE BALLOT BOX.” — Marc Roberts, Utah State Legislator 2017 established high turnout, with Minneapolis and St. Paul both seeing record-level participa- tion in their mayoral elections. That continued Error rates in RCV races remained consistently in 2018, with turnout in San Francisco reaching low. No RCV election in the United States has 53% 53 percent in a special mayoral election, far exceeded a 1 percent error rate since 2010, and surpassing the state average of 38 percent. those already low rates continue to decline. In 38% Maine’s Democratic primary saw more votes Maine’s 2nd District, 99.8 percent of voters cast cast than any prior Democratic primary election valid ballots, a rate generally consistent with or its most recent general elections with turnout error rates from other jurisdictions. San Francisco exceeding 60 percent of registered voters. Far California fewer voters skipped the RCV races for U.S. SMOOTH ELECTION ADMINISTRATION Representative and Senator in 2018 than in 2016 2018 turnout in or 2014 as well; the median number of under- First uses of RCV in 2018 for both Santa Fe and San Fransico special votes in those contests in 2014 and 2016 was Maine were largely successful. Maine’s story is mayoral election, over 5,000 more votes than in 2018. notable given the logistical, administrative and surpassing state election requirement difficulties, in addition to election average. EFFECTIVE USE OF RANKINGS lack of funding for RCV implementation.

Most voters take advantage of the opportunity Even so, a exit survey to rank choices. In Santa Fe, 65 percent of vot- showed that 74 percent of voters found ranking ers ranked all five candidates on the ballot for choices somewhat or very easy, and less than 10 mayor. In San Francisco’s special election, nearly percent found it hard. Over 60 percent of voters 70 percent of voters used all three rankings wanted to keep or expand the use of RCV. While (the maximum allowed). In Maine’s Democratic state law and practice delayed results, the count 70% gubernatorial primary, 86 percent of voters went smoothly. ranked two or more candidates. San Francisco voters using all HIGH three rankings. TURNOUT FEW BALLOT ERRORS

“ WHAT I HEARD FROM FOLKS IS THAT THEY REALLY LIKED RANKED CHOICE VOTING. THEY LIKED BEING ABLE TO HAVE CHOICES.” — Matthew Dunlap, Maine Secratary of State 99.8% VALID BALLOTS

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