There's a lot of talk about "Just VOTE".
We want to talk about How We Vote.
How We Vote is inequitable.
We force voters to pick the "lesser of the evils"
or worry about "spoiler" candidates.
We can fix this.
The solution is Ranked Choice Voting (RCV).
This is the common sense way to strengthen democracy and make our elections more equitable, fair, and meaningful.
More choice, More voice, More freedom.
Ranked choice voting is a simple change that gives you the option to rank your choices instead of choosing just one candidate. Candidates have to win more than half the votes - a real majority! If your favorite candidate doesn't make it, you vote moves to your back-up choices.
Problems that RCV helps dissolve:
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Worrying about the "Electability" Myth
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Splitting the Vote
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Having to pressure candidates to drop out
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Vote shaming and voter apathy
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Democratic party managing its "Big Tent"
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Domination and Political Toxicity
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Crowded Primaries producing non-majority candidates
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Newcomers and outsiders in politics being shut out
RCV not only changes our elections, but also changes the culture of power and politics. It is the beginning of building a State of the Future that encourages candidates to campaign with a positive vision of the future and elects more women and people of color to positions of leadership.
What is Ranked Choice Voting?
The way we vote violates our values of fairness, freedom, meaningful representation, and racial equity. The solution is called Ranked Choice Voting (RCV).
Our current election system is often devoid of productive dialogue. Especially when a race has numerous candidates, it is overwhelming to navigate the inside baseball and strategic voting required to make change. Newcomers, outsiders, and people from low-income communities who consider running for office often don’t stand a fighting chance of getting elected. Fears of “splitting the vote” wastes so much of our political energy.
With RCV, voters have two options: 1) to vote for one candidate or 2) to rank their preferred candidates. When votes are counted, if someone has over 50% of first-choice votes, they win and the election is over. If there is no majority winner after counting first-choice votes, the election is decided by an “instant runoff.” The candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and voters who picked that candidate as their top choice will have their votes count for their next choice. This process continues until a candidate wins with more than half of the votes. Because winners have to win a real majority of votes, there are no more spoiler candidates.
With RCV, people can vote their values and independently assess candidates based on who they think is best for the job. This means voters don’t have to vote for the “lesser of the evils.” Ranking the vote empowers voters to vote for who they really want as opposed to who they think is the most electable, well-connected, or well-resourced.
RCV also increases diversity among our elected officials. A recent study demonstrated that RCV led to an increase in the percentage of candidates of color running for office and the probability of them winning their race. Studies also show no adverse effects on voter turnout. People understand and appreciate the option to rank their preferences: a natural way of increasing choice in our politics. More choice, more voice, more freedom.
Along with public financing, RCV can transform the culture of elections and power while making democracy more functional. A more diverse group of people can run successful campaigns. Candidates are incentivized to highlight their shared beliefs and common ground. Elections become less driven by ego and more focused on balance, thoughtfulness, building coalitions, and strengthening communities.
Join Our Coalition!
We're building a strong coalition of organizations and individuals across DC. If your organization or community wants to endorse, just sign our letter of support:
And if you'd like to be a part of organizing for this incredible change to our broken system, reach out:
