Supporters of Ranked Choice Voting (RCV)

Elected officials, organizations and community members who support Ranked Choice Voting are featured below. Let us know if you or your organization would like to be added to the list of supporters.

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 had very low voter turnout in the primary elections. Ranked Choice Voting moved 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 helps increase viability for lesser known candidates and encourage candidates to focus on the issues rather than the politics.” - Jenna Carter

Watch Jenna’s 2020 video on why she supports Ranked Choice Voting.

“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.

“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

“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.

“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) — **Steve Elkins**, MN Representative (50B)

“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) — **Melisa Franzen**, Former 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) — Melissa H. Wiklund, MN Senator (SD51)

“I’m voting NO on the repeal of Ranked Choice Voting because I support positive campaigning where candidates focus on bringing forward community solutions.” - Melissa H. Wiklund

Michael Howard, MN Representative (50A) — Michael Howard, MN Representative (51A)

“Ranked Choice Voting can strengthen our democracy by engaging more voters in our local elections. I support RCV and encourage Bloomington voters to join me.” - Mike Howard

Andrew Carlson, MN Representative (50B) — Andrew Carlson, Former MN Representative (50B)

“I’m proud to support Ranked Choice Voting for my community. It makes our local elections more inclusive, engages more voters, and fosters 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 NO on Repeal.” - 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 did 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. I’m voting NO on Repeal, so we can Save Ranked Choice Voting in Bloomington.” - 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-turnout 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 — **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 — **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

“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.” - 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… — 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
Sharon: RCV Eliminates the Expense of a Primary, Saves a Trip to the Polls
Pat: RCV Reflects Will of the People & Saves Money
Lynn: RCV Saves Tax Dollars

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

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