Maine, Utah, and California are doubling down on ranked choice voting
The ranked choice voting movement has had three significant legislative wins in recent weeks:
- A bill signed in Maine allowing its towns and cities to opt into RCV,
- A bill signed in Utah making technical tweaks as it continues its municipal RCV pilot, and
- The failure of a repeal effort in California, which didn’t even get a vote in its Assembly Elections Committee.
Ruby-red Utah, purple Maine, and blue California are the states with the most widespread current use of RCV — in 23 cities in Utah, and in all federal elections and state-level primaries Maine, and for nearly two decades in major California cities like San Francisco & Oakland. Additionally, at least two more California cities will implement RCV in 2022.
The message from these legislative wins is clear — RCV is working. After Maine, Utah, & California have implemented RCV, they’re not simply turning their backs or even settling for the new status quo.
Rather, citizens & leaders are choosing proactive steps to improve and expand RCV.
RCV isn’t just growing fast. It’s sticking.
That’s a great sign as Alaska gets ready to use RCV for the first time this summer; cities from Amherst, MA to Boulder, CO to Eureka, CA plan for their first implementation; and major cities like San Diego and Portland consider bringing RCV to their local elections.
