Ranked Choice Voting Act would transform congressional elections with better campaigns, no spoilers, & majority rule
September 12, 2024 – FairVote celebrated the introduction of the Ranked Choice Voting Act by Reps. Jamie Raskin (MD-8) and Don Beyer (VA-8), and Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT).
The bill would institute ranked choice voting (RCV) for all primary and general elections for the U.S. House and Senate. RCV gives voters better choices, discourages negative campaigning, and ensures elected officials win with majority support. RCV frees voters to support their favorite candidates, and encourages candidates to reach out to more voters for second- and third-choice support.
“Ranked choice voting is the fastest-growing election reform in the nation because it works,” said Meredith Sumpter, President and CEO of FairVote. “RCV fixes the ‘spoiler problem’ and ensures winning candidates represent the majority of voters – without the need for expensive, low-turnout runoffs. Everywhere it’s used, voters have embraced RCV and the better choices, better campaigns, and better governance that it delivers. The Ranked Choice Voting Act will give every voter the freedom to make their voice truly heard in Washington.”
“Our democracy is at its strongest when everyone is heard and represented. Ranked choice voting offers an opportunity to break through polarization and strengthen our democracy by ensuring that our elected candidates have received the broad support of the folks they’ll represent,” said Senator Peter Welch (VT). “This pro-democracy bill will make our elections more equitable, more civil, and more representative.”
“Ranked choice voting focuses American elections and campaigns on coalition-building,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-8). “Our legislation incentivizes candidates to reach a broader range of the voting public, making our electoral process more democratic, more positive, more efficient and more representative—and our Congress too.”
“In an increasingly polarized Congress, it’s become ever more difficult to produce pragmatic legislation and solutions that benefit the American people,” said Rep. Don Beyer (VA-8). “By implementing ranked choice voting, which ensures that winners are elected with majority popular support, we can encourage the election of leaders who build broad and diverse coalitions and are focused on solutions rather than divisive rhetoric. This would increase voter satisfaction and be a great win for a healthier democracy.”
This summer, FairVote released a report on the congressional primaries won without a majority in the 2024 election cycle; this occurred in 86 congressional primaries in 2022. Over the last 20 years, 49 U.S. senators have been elected without majority support.
Ranked choice voting is the fastest-growing nonpartisan voting reform in the nation, and has now grown to 50 states, counties, and cities home to approximately 16 million Americans across the nation. RCV has won 27 city ballot measures in a row; this November, it will be on the ballot for statewide adoption in four states plus the District of Columbia.
As part of the Ranked Choice Voting Act, the 10 states with congressional runoff elections would use ranked choice voting instead, saving tens of millions of dollars and avoiding the 40% average turnout drop of congressional runoffs. Ranked choice voting is often called “instant runoff voting,” and military and overseas voters in six Southern states have long used RCV ballots to participate in runoffs. The Ranked Choice Voting Act would also appropriate funding for voter education and implementation costs.
The Ranked Choice Voting Act is co-sponsored by Reps. Dan Goldman, Derek Kilmer, Barbara Lee, Seth Moulton, and Scott Peters. Voters can ask their members of Congress to support the Ranked Choice Voting Act using this link.
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FairVote is a nonpartisan organization seeking better elections for all. We research and advance voting reforms that make democracy more functional and representative for every American.
