79% of jurisdictions release RCV results within 24 hours

Deb Otis | 

With over 50 states, cities, and counties using ranked choice voting (RCV), evidence shows that election administrators have adapted to it well. 

Nationally, the best practice is to report preliminary RCV results as soon as possible, and most RCV jurisdictions do so. Of 39 locations that held RCV elections in the last two years, 31 of them (79%) released RCV results on Election Day or the day after. 

JurisdictionWhen are RCV rounds tabulated?
AlaskaMore than one week 
Albany, CAWithin 24 hours
Arden, DEWithin 24 hours
Arlington County, VAWithin 72 hours
Benton County, ORMore than one week 
Berkeley, CAWithin 24 hours
Bloomington, MNWithin 24 hours
Boulder, COWithin 24 hours
Burlington, VTWithin 24 hours
Cambridge, MAWithin 24 hours
Charlottesville, VAWithin one week
Corvallis, ORMore than one week 
Easthampton, MAWithin 24 hours
Las Cruces, NMWithin 24 hours
MaineWithin one week
Minneapolis, MNWithin 24 hours
Minnetonka, MNWithin 24 hours
New York, NYWithin one week
Oakland, CAWithin 24 hours
Portland, MEWithin 24 hours
Portland, ORWithin 24 hours
Redondo Beach, CAMore than one week 
San Francisco, CAWithin 24 hours
San Leandro, CAWithin 24 hours
Santa Fe, NMWithin 24 hours
St. Louis Park, MNWithin 24 hours
St. Paul, MNWithin 24 hours
Takoma Park, MDWithin 24 hours
Westbrook, MEWithin 24 hours
Salt Lake City, UTWithin 24 hours
South Salt Lake, UTWithin 24 hours
Midvale, UTWithin 24 hours
Milcreek, UTWithin 24 hours
Genola, UTWithin 24 hours
Lehi, UTWithin 24 hours
Payson, UTWithin 24 hours
Vineyard, UTWithin 24 hours
Woodland Hills, UTWithin 24 hours
Heber, UTWithin 24 hours

In cases where states or cities choose to wait longer, it is a choice by election administrators. For example, Alaska and New York City wait until all absentee ballots are received before running an RCV count – while most other locations run a preliminary RCV count even while some absentee ballots are still trickling in. 

RCV elections go to a tabulation if no candidate wins more than half of voters’ first choices. The last-place candidate is eliminated, and voters who ranked that candidate Number 1 have their ballot count for their next choice. This repeats until a candidate wins with more than half the votes. 

RCV empowers voters by giving them backup choices, and also ensures the winning candidate has majority support. Although RCV tabulation adds one extra step for election administrators, running the tabulation is as simple as pushing a button and takes just seconds. 

As more jurisdictions adopt ranked choice voting, we encourage them to follow best practices by releasing preliminary RCV results within 24 hours – like most RCV jurisdictions already do.