WATCH: Want to Expand Voter Rights? Support Ranked Choice Voting

image
Thomas A HawkThomas A Hawk
Published: 13 Jun, 2017
1 min read

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItsE_Xk-Z_s

Video Credit: VoterChoiceMA, June 9, 2017

Voter Choice Massachusetts Executive Director Adam Friedman made one thing clear to Massachusetts Democrats: If you support protecting and enhancing voter rights, you should support ranked choice voting.

"Do you support voting rights and voter empowerment? Do you support inclusion, diversity, and unity for the party and for the United States of America? If you support these things, you should support ranked choice voting," says Friedman.

Friedman gave his remarks on the convention floor of the 2017 Massachusetts Democratic Convention. His goal was to convince the 4,500 delegates present to vote in support of ranked choice voting.

And his speech may have had a huge impact. The Massachusetts Democratic Party voted Saturday to add an amendment to the party's new platform supporting ranked choice voting.

According to FairVote, 3 bills were introduced in the Massachusetts General Court in 2017.

"SD 485 would allow cities and towns to incorporate ranked choice voting, while HB 2897 would do the same for certain municipalities," reports FairVote. "The latter already has thirty-one cosponsors. In addition, HB 377 would enable ranked choice voting for all statewide offices."

IVP Donate

According to FairVote, "ranked choice voting is used to elect city officers in 11 cities today, with two cities awaiting implementation as soon as voting equipment is ready."

Additionally, Maine voters approved the implementation of ranked choice voting in November 2016 for all statewide and congressional races.

Maine lawmakers, however, may soon go against the will of their voters after the state Supreme Court issued a non-binding opinion that ranked choice voting was in conflict with a state constitutional provision that deals with 3 state general elections.

Yet the Maine Supreme Court did not find a constitutional conflict with primary and federal elections -- most elections under ranked choice voting.

Photo Credit: Steve Heap / shutterstock.com

You Might Also Like

National Reform Organizations Condemn Texas and California Over Gerrymandering
National Reform Organizations Condemn Texas and California Over Gerrymandering
The United States has passed the point of no return in the unprecedented mid-cycle redistricting fight between Texas and California, which threatens to expand to other states like Republican-controlled Florida and Democratic-controlled New York....
25 Aug, 2025
-
6 min read
Gerrymandering Wars Escalate Beyond Texas and California: A National Race to the Bottom?
Gerrymandering Wars Escalate Beyond Texas and California: A National Race to the Bottom?
Republicans currently hold a narrow 219 to 212 edge over Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, with four vacancies: three from Democratic members who have died and one from a Republican who has resigned. This is the smallest House majority held by either party in nearly a century. The razor-thin margin means the stakes in the 2026 midterms could not be higher. With so few competitive seats left nationwide, both parties are turning to mid-decade redistricting as a way to secure advantages....
27 Aug, 2025
-
10 min read
Hand in ballot that says independent on it.
Why 1.2 Million California Independents Are The Biggest Wild Card in American Politics Today
The fate of Proposition 50, California’s proposed redistricting measure, may come down to voters who have declined to join one of the two major political parties....
22 Aug, 2025
-
5 min read