Greenbelt, MD to vote on ranked choice voting this November
Yesterday, September 8, the Greenbelt, MD City Council finalized a ballot measure that will put ranked choice voting (RCV) before voters this November.
Passing this advisory measure will send a strong signal that voters want ranked choice voting. Then, it will be up to the City Council to follow the voters’ will and enact this change.
I am thrilled that Greenbelt residents will have an opportunity to move ranked choice voting forward this November. I look forward to Greenbelt becoming the next city in Maryland to give voters more choice and a stronger voice with ranked choice voting.
– Ranked Choice Voting Maryland Executive Director Michelle Whittaker
Currently, Greenbelt uses plurality block voting for its seven-person City Council, allowing the largest group of voters to pick every councilmember and locking other groups out of representation. As the Campaign Legal Center notes, this system “can silence communities of color and deprive them of an equal opportunity to participate in the political process.” Notably, just two of the city’s seven City Council members are Black, despite Black voters making up 45% of the city. Similarly, plurality block voting can prevent representation for minority political viewpoints – like urban conservatives or rural liberals.
Greenbelt’s ballot measure calls for adoption of the proportional form of RCV for City Council elections. Proportional RCV is a proven reform that helps nearly all voters elect a candidate they support. It would bolster representation of communities of color and other underrepresented voices, ensuring the Council represents a much larger cross-section of the city.
Last year, Portland, Oregon became the nation’s largest city to use proportional RCV. Its first election with proportional RCV resulted in a Council that was truly reflective of the city – the winners ranged in age from 28 to 70, nearly half were candidates of color, and there was a mix of renters and home-owners. At least 80% of voters in each council district helped elect a winning candidate. An exit poll found that 59% of Portland voters preferred their new method of electing the City Council – a 2-to-1 margin over those who preferred the old system.
With RCV, voters are also able to rank their favorite candidates without fear of “wasting” their vote – if their first choice can’t win, their vote automatically counts for their next choice instead. For example, in Portland, 64% of voters said they could express their preferences more clearly with RCV.
RCV already has a record of success in Maryland and the surrounding region. Takoma Park, MD and Arlington, VA both use the reform, and Washington, DC is slated to join them next year. Greenbelt should join its neighbors and improve its elections with RCV. To learn more, visit Ranked Choice Voting Maryland.
