Benefits of Ranked Choice Voting (RCV)

More than 50 jurisdictions across the country use Ranked Choice Voting, including five cities in Minnesota as well as the states of Maine and Alaska, and even more jurisdictions will be using it in the next few years. Military and overseas voters cast RCV ballots for federal runoff elections in six states. RCV is also used in democracies around the world. See full list here.

Here in Minnesota, RCV is used in Bloomington, Minnetonka, St. Louis Park, Minneapolis and St. Paul. Many other cities, school boards, and counties want to adopt Ranked Choice Voting, but need state legislation to do so.

The benefits these communities are experiencing include:

Empowers Voters - More Choice and More Voice

With Ranked Choice Voting, voters have more choice and more voice. No candidates are weeded out prematurely in a low-turnout primary, providing voters with more diverse candidates and viewpoints all the way through the November election. In addition, voters are able to rank the candidates in their order of preference (1st choice, 2nd choice, 3rd choice). Voters can support their favorite candidate without worrying they might “waste” their vote or help elect the candidate they like the least.

Fosters Diversity and Inclusion

Ranked Choice Voting opens the election process to new, diverse candidates by eliminating the unrepresentative primary that prematurely narrows the field of candidates before most voters weigh in. Cities that have implemented RCV have seen more women and candidates of color both run and win. To learn more:

Ensures Winners Have Broad Support

Winning candidates must reach beyond their base and earn the support of a majority of voters in a single, decisive election. Once elected, they are better positioned to work in the best interest of the whole community. Cities that use Ranked Choice Voting have seen winners who better represent the communities they serve/represent.

Encourages Positive Campaigning

Ranked Choice Voting incentivizes candidates to campaign positively on ideas and positions that matter to voters, rather than resorting to attacking their opponents. Candidates behave differently knowing that being a voter’s second choice can help them reach a majority and win. RCV is a key response to our growing polarization and a proven way to encourage working toward consensus. A national study compared voters’ perceptions of civility in cities using RCV and in those that do not.

Polling by Edison Research in Bloomington, Minneapolis, St. Paul and St. Louis Park following RCV elections shows that voters believe the campaigns have been very civil. In fact, more than 90 percent of Bloomington voters in 2021 said that candidates spent little time criticizing each other. See RCV By The Numbers in Bloomington here. 

Saves Tax Dollars

Ranked Choice Voting saves tax dollars by eliminating the need for the low-turnout, unrepresentative primary. Bloomington city staff estimate that RCV saved the city $75,000 in 2021 and more than $100,000 in each local election cycle going forward.