This page provides an overview of the ranked choice voting (RCV) ballot measures that were held around the country in recent years. Take a look at the list below to learn more!
2026 ballot measures
So far in 2026, one town has held a ballot measure on ranked choice voting. More cities, towns, and counties could do the same later this year.
Berwyn Heights, MD
On May 5, Berwyn Heights, MD voters approved an advisory measure asking the Town Council to explore ranked choice voting. The measure won with 76% support!
2025 ballot measures
Two cities voted on ranked choice voting ballot measures in 2025, and RCV won in both.
Greenbelt, MD
The Greenbelt, MD City Council referred an advisory measure to the November ballot asking voters if they want to use RCV in local elections.
RCV WON with 67% of voters in favor, making Greenbelt the 2nd Maryland city to vote for this reform! Shout out to Ranked Choice Voting Maryland for leading the YES campaign!
Skokie, IL
On April 1, Skokie, IL became the first city of 2025 to vote on a ballot measure to adopt ranked choice voting.
RCV WON with 58% of voters in favor, making Skokie the 3rd Chicago-area city to adopt RCV in as many years! Congratulations to our friends at FairVote Illinois for a successful campaign!
2024 ballot measures
In November 2024, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and multiple cities voted on adopting RCV. See information on this year’s RCV ballot measures below.
Washington, DC
Initiative 83 would bring ranked choice voting to DC’s elections and let independents vote in taxpayer-funded primary elections. It qualified for the ballot after Make All Votes Count DC submitted over 40,000 signatures – likely the most signatures ever for a DC ballot initiative.
Initiative 83 WON in Washington, DC, and currently leads in all eight wards!
Colorado (statewide)
Proposition 131 would bring open primaries and RCV to the Centennial State. The measure qualified for the ballot thanks to signatures from 213,000 Coloradans.
Proposition 131 lost in Colorado.
Idaho (statewide)
Proposition 1 would have implemented open primaries and RCV in the Gem State. It was placed on the ballot after Idahoans for Open Primaries turned in over 94,000 signatures from all over the state.
Proposition 1 lost in Idaho.
Nevada (statewide)
In 2022, Nevadans voted in favor of adopting open primaries and ranked choice voting general elections. Under Nevada law, as a citizen-initiated constitutional amendment, the measure had to pass again in 2024 to take effect.
Measure 3 lost in Nevada in 2024.
Oregon (statewide)
Measure 117 would have implemented ranked choice voting statewide in Oregon. It was referred to the November ballot by Oregon’s legislature – the most significant step ever taken by a state legislature to promote RCV.
Measure 117 lost in Oregon, but is winning in both counties where RCV is currently used, suggesting that when voters use RCV, they like it.
Oak Park, Illinois
Oak Park residents gathered signatures to put a ranked choice voting measure on the November 2024 ballot – part of a growing trend in Illinois after Evanston adopted RCV a few years ago.
Ranked choice voting WON in Oak Park with roughly 79% in favor!
Peoria, Illinois
In Peoria, a non-binding RCV measure appeared on the November 2024 ballot, asking voters if Illinois should adopt RCV for state and federal elections. The question was referred to the ballot at the annual township meeting. As one Peoria resident stated, “ranked choice voting works in all types of elections and supports more representative outcomes. It means better choices, better campaigns, and better representation.”
Peoria voted YES on ranked choice voting!
Richmond, California
In July 2024, the Richmond City Council voted unanimously to put ranked choice voting on the November ballot.
Although a majority of Richmond voters voted in favor of RCV, a competing measure to adopt two-round elections won by a larger amount and was implemented instead.
Anti-RCV measures
Opponents of reform placed measures on the ballot in Alaska and Bloomington, MN to repeal ranked choice voting – even though similar repeal measures have a track record of failure. In Alaska, 85% of voters say RCV is simple and 62% say they liked the state’s new election system. In Bloomington’s most recent election with RCV, it saw the highest turnout in two decades. A repeal effort in Minnetonka, MN last year fell flat – voters supported RCV by an even higher margin than when they first adopted it.
Meanwhile, Missouri’s state legislature slipped a provision into a ballot measure about noncitizen voting to prohibit RCV – even though no Missouri cities even use RCV.
Alaska and Bloomington voted to keep using ranked choice voting, while the ban measure passed in Missouri.
2023 ballot measures
Ranked choice voting won in all seven cities where it was on the ballot. Four cities voted to adopt it for the first time, two voted to expand its use, and one voted to keep using it. Details of each 2023 ballot measure campaign are below.
East Lansing, Michigan
Rank MI Vote collected over 1,000 signatures from East Lansing residents to place RCV on the ballot. Votes approved RCV with 52% in favor. Given the city’s proximity to the state capital, the measure’s passage is likely to make waves with state legislators and news outlets.
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Rank MI Vote collected over 3,200 signatures to place RCV on the ballot in Kalamazoo, a major hub of Southwest Michigan. RCV won in a landslide, with 71% of residents voting yes!
Royal Oak, Michigan
Over 2,800 residents of Royal Oak, a major Detroit suburb, signed the petition to place RCV on the city’s ballot. In November, RCV won with 51% in favor.
Easthampton, Massachusetts
Easthampton, Massachusetts already used RCV for its single-winner elections. In 2023, they voted to implement proportional RCV in its multi-winner elections as well – a major win for this gold-standard reform.
Minnetonka, Minnesota
Everywhere it’s used, voters like and understand RCV – and Minnetonka was no exception when it used RCV for the first time in 2021. Most voters ranked a winning candidate – the exact kind of consensus-building that RCV promotes, and one of the reasons why it’s the fastest-growing nonpartisan voting reform in the nation.
In 2023, opponents of RCV placed a measure on Minnetonka’s ballot to repeal the reform – but voters chose to keep using RCV by an even wider margin than they adopted it in 2020.
Thanks to FairVote Minnesota their great work to preserve RCV in Minnetonka!
Redondo Beach, California
Redondo Beach had a history of expensive runoff elections, which could cost the city hundreds of thousands of dollars each despite usually having lower turnout than the initial election in March.
City councilors in Redondo Beach voted unanimously to place an RCV measure on the March ballot, and Cal RCV held a series of phone- and text-banks to reach as many voters as possible. The measure passed with about 70% of voters in favor, though that margin could change as more votes are counted.
By adopting RCV, Redondo Beach is in good company: the system already has a long track record of success in other California cities, from Palm Desert in the south to San Francisco in the north.
Redondo Beach voted overwhelmingly for better elections. Instead of low-turnout, toxic, and unrepresentative runoffs, RCV will give voters more choice and more voice in a single election. RCV will also save taxpayer money — a single Redondo Beach runoff in 2013 cost this 80,000-person city over $300,000! This is also a major step forward for RCV in California, as Redondo Beach becomes the first city in Southern California to vote for this better elections method.
– Tom Charron, Co-Founder of the California RCV Coalition
Burlington, Vermont
The Burlington, Vermont city council placed a measure on the March 2023 ballot to expand use of ranked choice voting from city council elections — where RCV was first used in December 2022 — to all municipal elections. VPIRG led the campaign for a yes vote in Burlington, and the measure passed with 64% in favor!
Ranked choice voting is already giving Burlington voters more voice, more choice, and a stronger democracy in our city council elections. Voters have felt the benefits of RCV and voted for more. In crowded single-choice elections, candidates win without a majority and voters are forced to vote strategically. With ranked choice voting, more candidates can run without worrying about ‘splitting the vote,’ while voters can vote their conscience and elect candidates that they truly support. Burlington is bringing better, fairer representation to more elections.
– Sam McGinty, Democracy Advocate with VPIRG
2022 ballot measures
In 2022, ranked choice voting (RCV) appeared on the ballot in ten American jurisdictions and won in eight of them, including statewide in Nevada. Details of each 2022 ballot measure campaign can be found below.
Nevada (statewide)
Nevada is one of the nation’s most competitive states, and has thousands of independent voters who want a stronger voice in elections. That makes it the perfect fit for ranked choice voting, and organizers at Yes on 3 worked hard to get the word out to voters. Thanks to their efforts, ranked choice voting and top-5 primaries won in Nevada with 53% in favor. Under Nevada law, since it is a citizen-initiated constitutional amendment, the measure must pass again in 2024 to take effect.
To see the voters of Nevada support a change in how we do our elections that … will provide more voice and choice to Nevadans was very gratifying and rewarding. This was just the start. We have a lot more conversations to have.
– Mike Draper, Communications Director of Nevada Voters First
Seattle, Washington
Ranked choice voting primaries won in Seattle. First, voters were asked if they wanted to change the city’s method voting, and they said yes. Next, they were asked if they would prefer ranked choice voting or approval voting, and they picked RCV by an overwhelming margin.
Seattle’s RCV campaign was backed by some of the most prominent organizations in the city, winning endorsements from several state legislators, the League of Women Voters Seattle-King County, the King County Democrats, More Equitable Democracy Action, and the Faith Action Network, among others.
Voters delivered a mandate for ranked-choice voting and sent a strong signal to the legislature that Washington voters want better elections.
– Kamau Chege, Executive Director of the Washington Community Alliance
Portland, Oregon
The Portland United for Change campaign led the charge for a “Yes” vote on measure 26-228, which would implement the proportional form of ranked choice voting for city council elections, along with other changes to how elections are run. The measure was backed by over 50 local organizations and won at the polls with 58% in favor. This means Portland will be the largest American city using proportional RCV, a ‘gold standard’ system that Fair Representation Act has proposed for Congress.
It just feels so exciting to know that at a time when democracy is under attack across the nation, Portland is serving as a model of the type of representation that all communities can have.
– Sol Mora, Campaign Manager of Portland United for Change
Multnomah County, Oregon
On the same day that Portland voted on RCV for city elections, the lucky residents of Multnomah County (where most of Portland is located) got to vote on RCV for county elections! Residents got involved with Oregon Ranked Choice Voting, the Coalition of Communities of Color, and Portland United for Change to spread the word. Thanks to their efforts, ranked choice voting won in Multnomah County with 69% in favor.
Young or old, renter or homeowner, Black, white, or brown, every voter in Multnomah County has the right to vote for leaders who represent our communities. RCV tends to attract more diverse candidates, giving voters more opportunity to cast a vote for someone who represents their community.
– Communities of Color Coalition
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston approved ranked choice voting in a landslide, with 82% of voters in favor. That makes it the first Illinois city to adopt RCV for all voters, blazing a path for others to follow and building momentum for additional progress in the Chicago area and Illinois legislature. RCV for Evanston ran a strong campaign with nearly endless volunteer opportunities, allowing volunteers to get involved however they felt most comfortable.
Evanston is a place that has led on a lot of exciting political innovations, and now it’s leading again on something that will strengthen our democracy right here at home.
– Alisa Kaplan of Reform for Illinois
Fort Collins, Colorado
The Fort Collins campaign wrapped up the summer with endorsements from 6 of the 7 City Council members, all 3 County Commissioners, the entire school board, both members who represent Fort Collins in the state House of Representatives, the Colorado Working Families Party, and the local League of Women Voters. They worked with over 100 volunteers on phone banking, texting, door-to-door canvassing, placing lawn signs around town, and holding public educational events. Ranked choice voting won in Fort Collins with 58% in favor.
[Ranked choice voting] adds to civility in the campaign because every single person campaigning needs to talk to every single constituent. Because even if you are not their first choice, you might be their second choice.
– Mayor Jeni Arndt
Ojai, California
The Ojai Valley Democratic Club led an army of volunteers to spread the word about RCV, putting door hangers on every single household. Ranked choice voting won in Ojai with 56% in favor.
Portland, Maine
Portland has been a trailblazer with RCV for over a decade, and this year voters seized the opportunity to lead the nation’s way again. Voters approved Question 4 with 64% in favor, enabling the city council to upgrade city elections to the ‘gold standard’ of proportional RCV.
Clark County, Washington
On December 8, 2021, the Clark County Charter Review Commission voted 11 to 4 to put an RCV ballot measure on the 2022 ballot. The Clark County campaign saw remarkable early success, securing endorsements from community leaders and support from citizens. Despite the campaign’s strong work on outreach to voters, Charter Amendment 10 was defeated.
San Juan County, Washington
San Juan County organizers fought hard in this campaign. First, they canvassed the County Charter Review Commission to put an RCV amendment on the ballot. Then they won in court when opponents tried to block it from appearing. They also worked hard to contact voters, but Charter Review Commission Prop. 3 was defeated.
2021 ballot measures
In 2021, voters approved ranked choice voting (RCV) in all five cities where it was on the ballot – in Austin, Texas; Burlington, Vermont; Broomfield, Colorado; Ann Arbor, Michigan; and Westbrook, Maine. Most passed by wide margins. Details of each 2021 ballot measure campaign can be found below.
Austin, Texas
Austinites for Progressive Reform collected more than 24,000 signatures for a series of ballot measures relating to democracy reform, and the city council voted to send the measures to the May ballot. Those included Measure E, which would establish the use of RCV for city elections, with implementation tied to clarification of its legality under Texas law. The Austin Chronicle endorsed Proposition E in an editorial. Austin voters approved Proposition E by 58.6% in favor. For more information about this ballot measure, read this blog by Andrew Allison, chair of Austinites for Progressive Reform.
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor’s city council approved a measure that asked voters whether to bring back RCV for local elections. The city previously used RCV in 1975, when it elected the first and only Black mayor in its history. Prop B passed in a landslide, with 73% voting yes. For more information about this ballot measure, follow Rank MI Vote and read this commentary in the MLive.
Broomfield, Colorado
In Broomfield, the city council unanimously referred a measure to the November 2 ballot on whether to use RCV in local elections. The council’s action came shortly after Colorado’s legislature and Governor Jared Polis approved a bill making it easier for cities to adopt RCV. Several Colorado cities already use RCV, including Basalt and Telluride. Voters approved Question 2A with 52% in favor. For more information about this ballot measure, follow Ranked Choice Voting for Colorado.
Burlington, Vermont
The Burlington City Council in September 2020 voted to place Question 4 on the March 2, 2021 city ballot to establish RCV for city council elections and replace the current system where a runoff is held if no candidate earns at least 40% of the vote. Better Ballot Burlington led the campaign in support of the measure, with backers including 10 local state legislators, former governor Howard Dean, and the League of Women Voters of Vermont – see this commentary by campaign co-chairs Dean and Zoraya Hightower. Burlington voters approved Question 4, with a winning percentage of 64.4%.
Westbrook, Maine
The Westbrook city council referred a charter amendment to the ballot after a petition drive. Voters were asked whether to implement RCV in local elections. Single-winner RCV would be used for the majority of local Westbrook races and proportional RCV could be used in races for charter commission. Question 1 passed with 63% in favor. Read this Portland Press Herald news coverage and find out more from the League of Women Voters of Maine.
2020 ballot measures
In 2020, ranked choice voting (RCV) won on the ballot for all major elections in Alaska and in all six cities voting on it. A Massachusetts campaign for RCV was defeated. Details of each 2020 ballot measure campaign can be found below.
Alaska (statewide)
Alaskans for Better Elections collected enough signatures to put Ballot Measure 2 to a vote in November. The measure proposed several statutory changes, including: 1) “Top four” blanket primaries for state and congressional offices, where all candidates would appear on the same primary ballot and the top-four vote getters would advance to the general election, regardless of party affiliation; 2) Ranked choice voting in the choice among four candidates on the November ballot, with write-in candidates permitted; 3) Ranked choice voting in the presidential election among all candidates who have qualified for the ballot and any write-in candidates. Alaska voters approved Measure 2, with a winning percentage of 50.6%. For more information, see this editorial endorsement from the Anchorage Daily News and this FairVote news release.
Albany, California
The city council of Albany, California voted unanimously to propose a charter amendment to adopt the proportional form of ranked choice voting for city council and school board elections. Voter Choice Albany headed the campaign, and backers included the local East Bay Times in this thoughtful editorial. Albany voters approved Measure BB with 73.3% to 26.7%, making Albany the fourth city in the country using the proportional, “single transferable vote” form of RCV.
Eureka, California
The city council of Eureka, California voted unanimously (5-0) to place a charter amendment on the November ballot to adopt ranked choice voting for electing the mayor and city council. Yes on C! Ranked Choice Voting for Eureka led the campaign to replace the plurality voting system and make Eureka the 5th city in California with ranked choice voting. Eureka voters approved Measure C with a margin of 61.5% to 38.5%.
Bloomington, Minnesota
The city council of Bloomington, Minnesota voted 6-1 in favor of a charter amendment to go on the November ballot adopting ranked choice voting in elections for mayor and council. Ranked Choice Voting Bloomington led the yes campaign, and Bloomington voters approved Question 3 by 51.2%-48.8%.
Minnetonka, Minnesota
The city council of Minnetonka, Minnesota voted unanimously to place a charter amendment on the November ballot to fold the city’s nonpartisan primary elections into a single general election held with ranked choice voting for mayor and city council. The campaign to pass the amendment was led by Ranked Choice Voting Minnetonka.Voters approved the amendment by 54.7%-45.3%, ensuring Minnetonka would join three Minnesota cities that already used RCV.
Boulder, Colorado
In August, the Boulder, Colorado city council voted 7-2 to place a charter amendment on the ballot to allow voters to elect their mayor directly with ranked choice voting; at the time, the city council selected the mayor. The campaign in support of the measure was led by Our Mayor, Our Choice. Endorsers included the Boulder Daily Camera in this editorial. Boulder voters approved Measure 2E by 78.1%-21.9%.
Portland, Maine
In March of 2020, Maine’s largest city of Portland approved a ballot measure with 81% of the vote to amend its charter to extend use of RCV for all city elections, including city council and school board. Portland already used RCV for mayoral elections, so this represented a landslide vote to expand the system by voters who had experience with it.
Massachusetts
After a multi-year educational campaign led by Voter Choice Massachusetts, an initiative appeared on the ballot as Question 2 that, if passed, would have enacted a statute to implement ranked choice voting for Massachusetts’ U.S. Senate and U.S House general and primary elections, state primary and general elections, and county offices, beginning in 2022. The initiative was championed by Yes on 2 for Ranked Choice Voting. Supporters included the Boston Globe in this editorial and at least five additional Massachusetts newspapers. Question 2 was defeated by 54.9%-45.1%, and the Yes on 2 campaign issued a statement.
Highlighted pre-2020 ballot measures
2019 – New York City: New York City became the largest jurisdiction in the United States to use RCV when voters approved a charter amendment proposed by a charter commission with a vote of 73%. Easthampton (MA) also passed RCV.
2016 – Maine: Maine became the first state in the nation to enact RCV for its major state and federal elections. Benton County (OR) also passes RCV.
2002 – San Francisco: San Francisco became the first city in the 21st century to pass RCV.