Arlington County Board continues ranked choice voting for all future primaries, pilots RCV for 2024 general election
Update: On February 24, 2024, the Arlington County Board voted unanimously to pilot ranked choice voting in the November general election in addition to using it in the primary.
Today, December 19, the Arlington County Board unanimously decided to continue ranked choice voting (RCV) in all future County Board primary elections, beginning in June 2024.
The expansion follows several positive experiences with RCV in Arlington, first by Arlington Democrats in their party-run primaries, and then for a pilot government-run primary in 2023. In addition, two County Board members have said they anticipate RCV could be expanded to general elections at the board’s January 2024 meeting (update: this expansion occurred at the February 2024 meeting, per the note above).
“Using ranked-choice voting in the primary next year is what all board members, both current and incoming, have said publicly is their preference,” Arlington County Board Member Matt de Ferranti told the local Gazette Leader last week.
Arlington piloted the proportional form of RCV in its government-run County Board primary this June. Reviews from voters in that election were positive, and the election delivered a fair and representative outcome – 84% of voters ranked a winning candidate first, second, or third on their ballot.
In an unscientific survey conducted by the County Board, 70% of voters rated their RCV experience as “positive,” “exceptional,” or “fair.” 96% said they had heard about RCV going into the ballot box, and ballot data shows that 90% of voters who ranked a low-performing candidate first ranked at least one backup choice too.
Although the Arlington County Board did not expand RCV to the 2023 general election – which would have changed the rules of the game after campaigning had already begun – members praised election administrators for their “flawless execution” of the primary, while also pointing to a desire for additional voter outreach and education. County Board Chair Christian Dorsey said he hoped the board would agree to use RCV again “as soon as possible.”
At today’s Board meeting, Dorsey said about RCV, “The most significant benefit that I get excited about as a former civic educator… is how it can help really develop and inform a civic electorate, because people have more of an opportunity to find candidates to reflect their interest.”
The 2024 Arlington County Board primary will be different from that in 2023, as Arlington voters will nominate candidates for a single County Board seat. Therefore, the more common single-winner form of RCV – also known as “instant runoff voting” – will be used.
Regardless of how many candidates are nominated, RCV will give voters better choices and ensure more representative election outcomes in Arlington. We’re excited to see more local governments across Virginia and the country will follow Arlington’s lead by adopting RCV!
