7/31/2023

Ranked Choice Voting Saves Money and Reduces Political Animosity

Our politics are making our people very angry.  The contempt and hatred for candidates and people in the other party is making our political system extremely bad.  A house divided cannot stand, and we are heading the wrong way.

Alaska has come up with a much less divisive system that eliminates some of the divisiveness.  And it reduces the number of elections thus saving money. The following is copied from their website.

Ranked Choice Voting FAQ

What is Ranked Choice Voting?
Ranked Choice Voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. In the 2020 general election, voters approved an initiative to establish a Ranked Choice Voting general election system.

How does Ranked Choice Voting work?
In each race, voters will rank their choices in order of preference. Votes are counted in rounds.
This is what happens:

Round One:
The Division counts all 1st choices. If a candidate gets 50% + 1 vote in round one, that candidate wins and the counting stops.  If not, counting goes to Round Two.

Round Two (and beyond):
The candidate with the fewest votes gets eliminated. If you voted for that candidate, your vote goes to your next choiceand you still have a say in who wins. If your first choice candidate was not eliminated, your vote stays with them. Votes are counted again.

This keeps happening in rounds until two candidates are left and the one with the most votes wins.

What happens if I only vote for one candidate?
Your vote is counted in round one and your vote stays with your candidate throughout tabulation.

Is there a benefit of ranking multiple choices?
Yes. By ranking multiple candidates, you can still have a voice in who gets elected even if your top choice does not win.  Ranking multiple candidates ensures your vote will go toward your second. third, fourth, or fifth choice if your top choice is eliminated, giving you more voice in who wins.

How do I mark my ballot in a Ranked Choice Voting election?
Fill in only one oval per candidate, in each column. You do not have to rank all the candidates.

Your second choice is only counted if your first choice candidate is eliminated.

Correct way to mark a ballot exampleInstructions: Vote by ranking candidates of your choice.

  • Rank as many or as few candidates as you like
  • Completely fill in no more than one oval for each candidate or column
  • For your 1st choice, fill in the oval in the 1st choice column
  • For your 2nd choice, fill in the oval in the 2nd choice column, and so on
  • If you make a mistake, you can ask for a new ballot
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