How to talk to your friends about ranked choice voting
Note: This post was last updated on April 10, 2025.
Poll after poll shows that millions of Americans think democracy isn’t working. Voters wonder why we don’t have more choices on the ballot – and why we’re told to fear “spoilers” and pick the lesser of two evils.
That makes it all the more important to have conversations about a better way to vote – ranked choice voting! With RCV, we get better choices, majority winners, less toxic campaigns, and no more spoilers. If you want to talk with friends and family about ranked choice voting, here are some quick resources that may help:
1. Ranked Choice Voting Facts video
One of the best ways to introduce RCV is by sharing a simple video! This one is just 1 minute and 33 seconds long, covering how RCV works and how it empowers voters.
2. FairVote’s website and social channels
Our Ranked Choice Voting page is the most popular page on FairVote’s website – it contains basic information about what’s wrong with our current elections, how RCV works, and RCV’s positive impacts.
It’s also a great launchpad to other pages on our website, including this map showing all the places RCV is used! Remind your friends and family – ranked choice voting isn’t some new or unproven idea; it’s already used in Alaska and Maine, and in the largest cities in seven states. It has been used for over 100 years in countries like Australia and Ireland.
You can also use FairVote’s website to find blog posts about your state and the elections you care about.
Also, consider sharing FairVote content over the next few days on your favorite social media platform:
3. Ranked Choice Voting Primer
Still haven’t convinced that discerning friend or family member who likes to dive deep into the data?
Send them our Ranked Choice Voting Primer! It covers everything from where RCV is used, to ballot data from RCV elections, to the latest academic research.
4. Try it yourself!
If you want to try ranked choice voting yourself, you can set up your own ranked choice polls at RankedVote (or RCV123) and share them with friends and family. If you don’t want to make your own poll, feel free to try this demo about ice cream flavors.
Use RCV to make your next pick for book club, or to choose your organization’s officers or your sports team’s captain.
Other ways to promote RCV
If you want to go the extra mile to support ranked choice voting, you can join an RCV group in your state. Our state and local allies offer a number of opportunities for volunteers – from attending events to knocking on doors and meeting with legislators.
Lastly, consider donating to FairVote. Your dollars will support our research and advocacy work to grow RCV across the nation, moving us toward an America where voting means ranking.
$25, 50, or $100 will go a long way toward fixing our politics and making our government work for all of us.
Thank you for your support. Let’s win ranked choice voting across the nation!