Berwyn Heights votes to explore ranked choice voting
On May 5, Berwyn Heights, MD voters voted to explore ranked choice voting (RCV) for future Town Council elections, with 76% in favor! The advisory ballot measure provides the town with community input for advancing RCV. Voters have just sent a powerful message that they support the change, and join neighboring cities that are embracing elections that offer better choices and more representative outcomes.
On Election Day, Ranked Choice Voting Maryland hosted a voter education information table in Berwyn Heights to connect with voters and share how RCV makes elections better.
Residents were so excited at the possibility of using ranked choice voting! Outside the Town Center, we helped people find out where to vote, what the ballot question was asking, and why it was important. Many folks said they wanted RCV for all elections, and one resident even said they had high hopes for the system thanks to their experience living in Cambridge, MA. This was a powerful win for our local movement at a critical time for fair representation in our democracy.
– Owen Anderson, Deputy Director of RCV Maryland
Ranked choice voting has a record of success in Maryland. Takoma Park already uses the reform, and Greenbelt voters approved it last November. This year, the legislature passed a bill setting new requirements for the administration of RCV elections in cities – marking the first time RCV is mentioned in state law.
Because Berwyn Heights elects its Town Council members at-large, elections with RCV would likely use the same, proportional form of RCV approved in Greenbelt – which borders Berwyn Heights. Proportional RCV helps nearly all voters elect a candidate they support, and bolsters representation for underrepresented voices.
To learn more about RCV in the Old Line State, visit RCV Maryland. To help bring RCV to your community, find an RCV group near you!
