Supporters of Ranked Choice Voting (RCV)
Elected officials, organizations and community members who support Ranked Choice Voting are featured below.
Elected Officials - Current
Jenna Carter, Bloomington City Councilmember At-Large
“I am a proponent of Ranked Choice Voting in Bloomington. Not only does Ranked Choice Voting allow for more inclusive and fair outcomes, it is also more efficient. We typically have very low voter turnout in the primary elections. Ranked Choice Voting would move us to one election that results in outcomes that are more reflective of what the majority of voters want, while saving taxpayer dollars. It also would help increase viability for lesser known candidates and encourage candidates to focus on the issues rather than the politics.” - Jenna Carter
Watch Jenna’s video on why she supports Ranked Choice Voting.
Dean Phillips, US Representative
“Ranked Choice Voting has been tested across the country and Maine just sent their first member to Congress using this system. It’s time we start investing in and expanding Ranked Choice Voting. It’s simple, empowers voters, and rewards candidates who broaden support beyond their base.” - Dean Phillips
Watch Dean’s video on why he supports Ranked Choice Voting.
Tina Smith, US Senator
“I have been a strong supporter of Ranked Choice Voting and the rights of states and local governments to choose RCV to elect their representatives.” - Tina Smith
Tim Walz, MN Governor
“Ranked Choice Voting is one of the ways to make sure people feel like their vote is being counted, feel like it really matters, increases participation and gives us better trust in our democracy. So I fully support it.” Governor Walz also supports RCV because it discourages negative campaigning and forces candidates to focus on what they're going to do if elected, which is “healthy for the democracy.” - Tim Walz
WATCH TIM’S VIDEO ON WHY HE SUPPORTS RCV TO IMPROVE VOTER SATISFACTION.
WATCH TIM’S VIDEO OF WHY HE SUPPORTS RCV TO DISCOURAGE NEGATIVE CAMPAIGNING.
Peggy Flanagan, MN Lt. Governor
“Ranked Choice Voting removes barriers to participation and forces us to grapple with difficult issues together. When more voices are included at the decision making table... that’s a very good thing.” - Peggy Flanagan
Steve Elkins, MN Representative (49B)
“I’ve long been a supporter of ranked choice voting because it provides an incentive for politicians to reach out beyond their narrow political ‘base’ of voters for support and discourages negative campaigning. With RCV, the winners are more likely to be the kind of pragmatic and non-ideological politicians who are willing to reach out across the aisle to forge a consensus around practical solutions to important problems.” - Steve Elkins
Watch Steve’s video on why he supports Ranked Choice Voting.
Melisa Franzen, MN Senator (SD49)
“Ranked Choice Voting is more inclusive and encourages more candidates to run with diverse backgrounds and perspectives which in turn, ensures our elections more fully represent and reflect the people and provide the leadership we need for our communities to thrive.” - Melisa Franzen
Watch Melisa’s Video about Ranked Choice VOting in Spanish.
Melissa H. Wiklund, MN Senator (SD50)
“I’m voting Yes on 3 because I support positive campaigning where candidates focus on bringing forward community solutions.” - Melissa H. Wiklund
Michael Howard, MN Representative (50A)
“Ranked Choice Voting can strengthen our democracy by engaging more voters in our local elections. I support Yes on 3 and encourage Bloomington voters to join me.” - Mike Howard
Andrew Carlson, MN Representative (50B)
“I’m proud to support Ranked Choice Voting for my community. It will make our local elections more inclusive, engage more voters, and foster civil campaigns focused on the issues. We need leaders at all levels who prioritize problem-solving and working together to get things done, and that is exactly what RCV encourages. I will be voting YES on 3.” - Andrew Carlson
Mia Olson, Bloomington School Board Member
“After volunteering on many campaigns over the years I have experienced all of the efforts and expense put into a primary, and it is discouraging to see such low voter turnout regardless of the outcome. RCV would do away with the expense of a primary in which so few voices are represented. More importantly - RCV promotes the idea of positive campaigning, as each candidate reaches out to every voter. At a time of extreme divisiveness, I am compelled to support RCV more than ever before.” - Mia Olson
Tom Bennett, Bloomington School Board Member
“I support Ranked Choice Voting because it adds more voices to the democratic process, eliminates the need for costly and low turn out primary elections, and ensures that the winner of the election garners support from a majority of the voters.” - Tom Bennett
Elected Officials - Former
Dave Durenberger (R), Former Republican US Senator
“Ranked Choice Voting is the only way I know of that will get people back to the polls in a meaningful way and replace plurality-take-all elections with majority-winner elections.” - Dave Durenberger
Arne Carlson (R), Former Republican Governor of MN
“Ranked Choice Voting is designed to lower the level of bitter partisan and personal attacks and shift the focus to a more civil discussion of public policy. Democracies depend on an election system that elevates the public discourse and attracts the best and brightest. Ranked Choice Voting puts us on the right path.” - Arne Carlson
Tim Penny (I), former US Congressman and 2002 Independence Party Candidate for MN Governor
“There are many electoral reforms that need to happen, but I place Ranked Choice Voting at the top of the list.” - Tim Penny
Tom Horner (I), 2010 Independence Party Candidate for MN Governor and Durenberger's press secretary and chief of staff
“We will only get better public policy when we have better politics, and no reform is more important to our political system than Ranked Choice Voting. It is the path to new and innovative candidates and more thoughtful, substantive campaigns.” - Tom Horner
Mark Ritchie, Former Secretary of State of MN
Coral Houle, Former Bloomington Mayor
“In my years in public office, I always strived to make local government more effective, inclusive and accessible, and to look for ways to do things better. Ranked Choice Voting is an improvement to our local elections that eliminates costly, low-participation primaries, elects winners with broad support in a single high turnout election in November, and encourages local officials to work in a smart, collaborative manner to get things done. RCV is a good government tool, and I will be voting Yes on 3 this fall.” - Coral Houle
Karen Nordstrom, Former Bloomington City Council Member
“I support Ranked Choice Voting as a way to increase participation in city elections and save time and money by having only one election instead of two.” - Karen Nordstrom
Organizational Support
Sun Current/EMC Publishers Editorial Board - Supports the local option to use Ranked Choice Voting
League of Women Voters Minnesota - Supports the local option to use Ranked Choice Voting to elect State or Local Officials in single-seat elections; published a study on alternative voting systems, which includes Ranked Choice Voting (referred to as Instant Runoff Voting in the study)
Best Buy - “Ranked Choice Voting encourages positive, issue-based campaigns by requiring candidates to appeal to a broad coalition of voters, not just a narrow base of supporters. This simple but powerful reform offers hope for an even more representative and responsive government.” - Matt Furman, Chief Communications and Public Affairs Officer
Community Leaders
Dr. Michael Osterholm, State Epidemiologist and Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the U of M
Community Members
Noah: RCV Reduces Political Polarization
Chris: RCV Better Expresses Voter Preferences
Anita: RCV Provides More Time to Learn about Candidates
Marcia: RCV Candidates Win with Broad Support
Yahye: RCV Gives Voters More Choice & More Voice
Sharon: RCV Eliminates the Expense of a Primary, Saves a Trip to the Polls
Laura H: RCV Eliminates “Wasted” Votes
Basha: RCV Empowers Voters, Positive Campaigns & Inclusion
Pat: RCV Reflects Will of the People & Saves Money
Lynn: RCV Saves Tax Dollars
Margaret: RCV Provides More Dialogue w/ New Voices
Daniel Aamot
Lyle Abeln
Jon Abrahamson
Grant Abrams
Laurie Aho
Tom Alcivar
Karen Alonzi
Mike Anderson
Amanda Angus
Susan Antby
Steven Appelhans
Michelle Arulfo
Ron Barnes
Kenyon Barnette
Ben Batko
Kevin Batko
Eric Bavier
Maria Bavier
Barb Becker
Liz Beckmann
Rachel Biggs
Sharon Billings
Mykell Branch
Louise Brask
Vicki Breese
Douglas Bruce
Ashley Bulow
Philip Burke
Nancy Butler
Laura Calbone
Jacob Carroll
Nicholas Chiquoine
Lisa Christensen
Steve Clarke
Tegan Conway
Steve Cope
Nan Corliss
Abby Countryman
Marcie Coval
Gianna DaGiau
Kay M Dennis
Christopher Diller
Jon Doty
Marcia Dragt
John Ehrenfeld
Pat Ekstrom
Judy Elkins
Steve Elkins
Kathy Emery
Clare Engelhart
Kathleen Fahnhorst
Stefanie Flasch
Jennifer Fricton
Josiah Fricton
Chris Gabel
Becka Giesen
Tom Giesen
Sarah Granger
Curtis Griesel
Kelly Hankes
Mike Hankes
Laura Hannemann
Timothy Hannemann
Clay Harris
Dennis Haskin
Roberta Haskin
Nikki Havens
Hiedi Hecker
Stacy Hodgson
Nick Holtan
Emma Holtan
Anne Holzman
Bob Huber
Elizabeth Hunter
John Hunter
Linnea Huynh
Scott Jameson
Donna Johnson
Leah Jones
Chris Karel
Blaine Kelley
Dorette Kerian
Bayley Keyport
Sarah King
Chris Kinner
Matthew Klun
Josh Knutson
Katie Knutson
Emily Lassiter
Richard Laybourn
Pat Laybourn
Matt Lee
Dale Lewellyn
Elaine Lewellyn
Cathe Lewis
Sue Ley
Suzanne Long
Lynn Lundeberg
Johnathon McClellan
Rob Meany
Sonia Merten
Joe Meuwissen Sr.
Pat Meyer
Sarah Meyer
Barbara Miller
Hannah Mitchell
Yahye Mohamed
Michael Moriarity
Sally Morton
Andrea Nelson-Grace
Noah Nieting
Natalie Oleson
Jon Oleson
David Olson
Brad Parker
Brad Parker
Julie Paulson
Daniel Pearson
Dylan Pedersen
Anne Peek
Damaris Perez Ramirez
Carolyn Philstrom
Rory Philstrom
Kay Pickett
Angie Poetter
Jorge Popoca-Santana
Mark Powell
Jaime Quarve
Jeanne Raymond
Michael Reinhardt
Deb Riebel
Erin Rohne
Adam Rusinak
Chris Saffert
Basha Salah
Jane Sandness
Tim Sandry
Andrea Sasseville
George Schaaf
Nancy Schaaf
Kelly Schoenhofen
Ani Schroeder
Sarah Shepherd
Ann Shields
Joanne Sienko Ott
Michele Simonet
Anita Smithson
Joe Smithson
Barb Speedling
Joe Stenglein
Lisa Stirratt
Jesse Stubbins
Sean Sutton
Benjamin Sutton
Mark Swanson
Margaret M. Swanson
Jenny Taffe
Dan Tanner
Eric Teresa
Steven Thai
John Thompson
Lori Thomson
Lisa Thorpe
Caitlin Thorpe
Mike Tveite
Gary Vig
Tyler Vigen
Heidi Voss
Patrick Voytasovich
Alanna Walen
Kim Walker
Marcia Wattson
Mike White
Timothy Wiech
Sharon Wildfang
Peter Willemin
Dave Willemin
Julianne Willemin
Monica Williams
Karen Wills
River Wilson
Mary Winkels
Vicki Wisniewski
Kassandra Wulf
David Zarkin
Carol Zazubek
Committee for Ranked Choice Voting Bloomington
Laura Calbone, Chair
Marcia Wattson, Treasurer
Laurie Aho
Gianna DaGiau
Lynn Lundeberg
Pat Meyer
Yahye Mohamed
Steve Peer
Anita Smithson