Letter: Ranked Choice Voting Reduces Polarization

Submitted (unpublished) Letter to the Editor, Bloomington Sun Current

Now that we’ve celebrated the founding of our democracy with picnics and fireworks, let’s take a moment to think about what we can do to reduce the growing polarization in politics and government. Is there anything we can do to improve our electoral process that might reduce the gridlock, increase voter participation and ensure majority rule while giving minority views more of a voice? Yes, there is.

Ranked Choice Voting (RCV), used for local elections in Minneapolis and St. Paul (and soon St. Louis Park), is one powerful solution. It eliminates the primary, in which a small number of voters choose the candidates who will face off in the general election. By opening up the November election to more candidates and allowing voters to rank their preferences, RCV ensures a majority winner without making voters come back for a second round of elections. 

Minneapolis and St. Paul have proven that RCV is simple to use. Hennepin County has the template to implement RCV, so making this change would be relatively simple and would save money by eliminating the expense of a low-turnout, unrepresentative primary election. Leaders elected under this method are accountable to more of their constituents. Negative campaigning is discouraged, because candidates need to appeal to a broader section of voters with practical solutions rather than divisive arguments.

I urge you to learn more about RCV and join me in asking our elected officials to support it for our local elections.

Marcia Wattson, Bloomington