On May 25, FairVote hosted “Women Win with Ranked Choice Voting” – a special webinar where panelists discussed how ranked choice voting (RCV) has led to historic wins for female candidates, diversifies the candidate pool, makes running for office more accessible, and gives voters more power at the ballot box. Hailing from across the country, the three panelists have unique experiences and represent vastly different constituents. However, all of the panelists emphasized that RCV is essential for more representative government and serves as a catalyst for change.

The conversation was moderated by Deb Otis, FairVote’s Director of Research and Policy. Panelists included Kelleen Potter, the Executive Director of Utah Ranked Choice Voting and former mayor of Heber City, UT; Victoria Pelletier, a city councilor in Portland, ME and the National Partnerships Manager for RepresentWomen; and Johana Bencomo, a city councilor in Las Cruces, NM and Program Director of the Future Presidents Project at Women’s Democracy Lab.

Otis kicked off the conversation by discussing the gender imbalance in national and local government. Women make up a little over half of the population, but serve in less than one-third of elected positions. Barriers to entry such as inflexible schedules and insufficient pay for elected officials, as well as safety concerns, have historically discouraged women – especially women of color – from running for office. Pelletier noted that “government [at] all levels is not inclusive by design, especially local government.”

RCV can change this reality by reducing barriers for candidates who otherwise might not run or struggle to get voters’ attention. The panelists stressed that RCV creates space for additional candidates to enter the race, and allows citizens to vote honestly without the fear of “wasting” their vote on an underdog candidate. Pelletier credited RCV for allowing “people like me with no experience… a fighting chance to actually get in the room.” Talking about her hometown of Las Cruces – New Mexico’s second-largest city and home to an all-women city council since 2021 – Bencomo shared that “four years ago the city council did not look like this; today we have [a] six-woman, majority-women of color, city council.”

The conversation then shifted to how RCV can foster a more inclusive political atmosphere and help candidates find common ground. Potter hails from Utah, where RCV legislation was enacted in 2018 and led to 20 cities holding RCV elections in 2021. She emphasized that RCV “trains all of us to come out of this all-or-nothing negative cycle that we seem to be stuck in and start looking for common ground and collaboration.” Bencomo concurred and sees RCV as a shift to value-centered voting, rather than negative and combative campaigning. Candidates understand that even if a voter is ranking their opponent first, they still have an incentive to connect with that voter and try to earn their second-choice support.

Another overarching topic was how RCV elects candidates who better reflect the needs and priorities of their constituents. Potter explained that when votes are split in a crowded field, candidates can (and do) win with a minority of support. This is an issue across party lines and results in many voters feeling unrepresented in the results. Pelletier cited the 2010 Maine gubernatorial election, which was won with just 38% of the vote. She identified RCV as a solution to this problem, arguing that RCV ensures “that your vote actually counted and [you know] that whoever won was truly reflective of the will of the voters.”

In addition, the panelists endorsed RCV for its cost-saving benefits: RCV can eliminate the need for primary or runoff elections. Potter said the economics of RCV was what initially won her over. As mayor, she noted that “we’re going to cut fifty percent of our election costs by cutting out a primary election [and moving to RCV].” Runoffs and primaries not only have consistently low voter turnout relative to general elections, but are costly and exhausting for candidates and taxpayers.

Potter acknowledges that there is a learning curve when old systems are modified. However, she emphasized that “people have known how to rank things since they were in kindergarten.” Potter and Pelletier both employed examples, such as choosing what to eat for lunch and ranking Halloween candies.

The webinar concluded with the panelists stressing the importance of constituents advocating to implement or keep RCV in their communities. Potter emphasized that for elected officials, the “thing that really pushes the needle is just hearing from their voters.”

FairVote thanks Kelleen, Johana, and Victoria for participating in this webinar and their commitment to advancing RCV. More information about RCV can be found on the FairVote website, and the full recording of the webinar is available on YouTube.