logo

2019 Sees Tremendous Surge in Ranked Choice Legislation Nationwide

image
Author: FairVote
Created: 07 February, 2019
Updated: 14 August, 2022
2 min read

As the new year begins, state legislatures around the country are convening to tackle the issues of the day. After seeing pro-democracy measures surge on the ballot in the 2018 midterms, it’s no surprise that efforts to address our broken elections continue to dominate discussion among the public and in the halls of power.

Coming off of its historic first statewide implementation in Maine, ranked choice voting (RCV) has been a key part of this conversation in state legislatures from Massachusetts to Hawaii.

RCV has made the agenda on 14 states and counting.

The bills vary in their scope and history: those in in Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, and Wyoming call for adopting ranked choice voting for all state and federal offices, as Maine did via referendum in 2016.

Bills in Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York, and Virginia would give local governments the option of using ranked choice voting, similar to the bill that was passed in Utah last year, which has led to 6 cities showing interest in adopting RCV for their elections.

In addition to these bills, several legislators in Maine have introduced legislation that would expand the use of RCV to state elections after its very successful first use for federal races last November.

Many of the bills that have been introduced are the direct result of in-state grassroots groups working with their representatives. To learn more about the efforts of these groups and to see if there is an organization working on RCV in your state, click here.

FairVote will track the existing legislation, as well as any new proposal introduced this year using the map embedded below. Readers should also check back on our blog for up-to-date information. We encourage supporters to contact their representatives and ask them to vote yes on laws that will give more voters the freedom to rank candidates in order of choice, make all voices heard and uphold majority rule.

Editor's Note: This article, written by Grace Ramsey, originally published on FairVote's blog, and has been modified slightly for publication on IVN.

IVP Existence Banner

Latest articles

Trump-Biden Debate
Did the Major Party Campaigns Just End the Commission on Presidential Debates?
President Joe Biden’s campaign issued a challenge to former President Donald Trump Wednesday to two debates: One in June and one in September. The debates have to be hosted by a news outlet and will not be conducted in front of a crowd....
15 May, 2024
-
6 min read
Oregon Capitol Building
Only 7% of Voters Have Returned Ballots in Oregon's Closed Primaries
Imagine being part of the largest segment of the registered voting population and being denied the right to an equal vote in elections. Well, millions of voters across the US don't have to imagine this because it is a reality for them in every election cycle. ...
14 May, 2024
-
3 min read
Chula Vista
POLL: Nearly Two-Thirds of Chula Vista Voters Want to Change the Way They Vote
A recent poll conducted by Competitive Edge research with funding by More Choice San Diego found that 62% of voters in Chula Vista -- if given the opportunity -- would support a measure that would advance five candidates to a general election that uses ranked ballots....
13 May, 2024
-
2 min read