Bipartisan American Bar Association task force endorses ranked choice voting
Last week, the American Bar Association’s Task Force for American Democracy endorsed ranked choice voting (RCV) in its latest report.
In August 2023, then-American Bar Association President Mary Smith created the task force in response to increasing threats to democracy and the rule of law. The bipartisan group consisted of leaders with expertise in American government and democracy. FairVote CEO Meredith Sumpter breaks down the news in this video:
In its report, the task force encourages more states to consider adopting ranked choice voting to promote majority rule:
The Task Force also encourages states to consider whether their unique circumstances would benefit from employing some form of ranked choice voting in the general election to guarantee that those who are chosen to lead are backed by majority support and hold true democratic mandates to carry out the policies on which they were elected.
It also points to the value of RCV for less divisive campaigns:
Moreover, by incentivizing candidates to appeal to voters beyond their party’s base to win second-choice or even third-choice votes, ranked choice voting encourages civil discourse and increases campaign civility.
The Task Force for American Democracy has written about RCV before. Earlier this year, it released a report finding that:
RCV increases voter turnout and does so among both low and high-socioeconomic voters. There is evidence it decreases negative campaigning and can lead to the election of candidates with a broader base of support, including more moderate candidates.
It appears to increase the number of candidates running for office (at least for some time) and may produce more diverse candidate pools, which can improve the representation of the public by elected officials. RCV is associated with increased direct campaign contacts (i.e. mobilization) and more satisfaction with democracy.
This is the latest in a long line of endorsements for ranked choice voting, including from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 10 Nobel Prize laureates, and leaders across the political spectrum.
Legislators who have seen the benefits of RCV in action have been especially vocal. For instance, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) has highlighted how RCV has delivered less partisan outcomes and allowed for more civility between candidates in Alaska. Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) has noted how RCV – used in five cities in his home state of Minnesota – can increase political participation and trust in our democracy.
See more leaders who have endorsed RCV here.
