Press Release: Bloomington Voters Adopt Ranked Choice Voting for Local Elections

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Bloomington Voters Adopt Ranked Choice Voting for Local Elections

Bloomington, MN (November 4, 2020) — The Committee for Ranked Choice Voting Bloomington applauds the victory for the Ranked Choice Voting ballot measure in Bloomington. Yesterday, Bloomington residents voted to adopt Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) for their mayoral and city council elections beginning in 2021. The RCV ballot measure won 51% percent of the vote. The victory is one of five historic wins for RCV local ballot measures across the country, including Minnetonka, MN, Albany, CA, Eureka, CA, and Boulder, CO.

“Bloomington residents voted for a better way to elect their municipal leaders,” said RCV Bloomington Organizer Laura Calbone. “The results are a win for better elections, more choice, greater participation, more civil public debate and most of all a win for Bloomington voters.”

Calbone credited the assistance of hundreds of local volunteers who worked in support of the campaigns with creating the momentum for victory: “It’s great to see the grassroots efforts of residents pay off in such a big win,” declared Calbone, “and we can’t wait to begin using Ranked Choice Voting next year.”

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I am so excited that Bloomington voted yes for Ranked Choice Voting!” said Councilmember Jenna Carter. “It will save the city money while also allowing for more civil, inclusive and fair elections for our mayor and city council.”

It is now up to the City Council to write an ordinance implementing the charter change. FairVote Minnesota (FVMN)* Executive Director Jeanne Massey offered the nonprofit’s resources and expertise to election officials in Bloomington as they undertake implementation of their city charter amendments. 

RCV is a simple change to the ballot that allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference (first choice, second choice, third choice, and so on). If a candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, that candidate wins. If not, then the last-place candidate is eliminated, and the voters who chose that candidate have their vote allocated to their second choice. This process continues until one candidate reaches a majority and wins. 

With the adoption of RCV, Bloomington will eliminate the costly, low turnout city primary in August and hold one election for mayor and city council in November when voter turnout is higher and more representative of the community. 

“I am so proud of my community,” added RCV Bloomington volunteer Marcia Wattson. “Ranked Choice Voting is the change we need to create a more representative and responsive government.”

Currently, only charter cities like Bloomington - 15% of cities in Minnesota -  are able to adopt RCV, but Bloomington Representative Steve Elkins has sponsored legislation, the local options bill, to give any city, school district, or county the option to adopt RCV if they so choose. Rep. Elkins, along with a growing number of RCV supporters in the state legislature, will work to pass that bill in the next legislative session. 

“I’ve long been a supporter of ranked choice voting, and I’m proud my community voted to adopt RCV for our mayor and city council races,” said Rep. Elkins. “We are living in challenging times, and RCV will encourage pragmatic and bipartisan problem-solving at a time when we need it most.”

Bloomington and Minnetonka join more than twenty cities across the U.S. currently using or pending implementation of RCV, including St. Louis Park, St. Paul and Minneapolis in Minnesota, and New York City starting next year. And Maine became the first state to use RCV at the state level in 2018 and used it for presidential and US Senate elections this year. Other major democracies around the world using RCV include Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Australia, and New Zealand. 

“I am so proud and excited to see my friends in Bloomington and Minnetonka fulfill their mission to adopt Ranked Choice Voting for their local elections!” declared Rep. Dean Phillips. “RCV favors the best candidates and encourages them to more ably represent their constituents, and we’ve never needed that kind of leadership more. Now let’s spread the word and show the rest of the state and the country what we can do if we implement a better way to vote.”

The RCV victories in Bloomington and Minnetonka, along with the other three ballot measure victories across the country demonstrate the momentum for the democracy reform movement in Minnesota and across the country.

“Ranked Choice Voting is a simple, proven election reform that empowers voters, encourages positive campaigning, and is more inclusive and representative,” stated Calbone. “We thank Bloomington voters for taking this important step, and we look forward to being the next city to use Ranked Choice Voting.”

More information about Ranked Choice Voting can be found at https://www.rcvbloomington.org/

* RCV Bloomington is supported by FairVote Minnesota, an organization that works for better democracy through public education and advocating for voting systems that lead to greater competitiveness, better representation and more participation.

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