If you’re given random things, it’s common for you to navigate through the same and choose the ones you like.
That’s a human instinct!
Likewise, when it comes to voting, you can show strength among the choice set. In a nutshell, you can cast your vote as per your preferred choice and it’s not limited to picking only one candidate.
This is known as ranked-choice voting. Indeed, this has opened new chapters in the US democracy with its significant influence.
In this blog, we will delve deeper into the methodology of ranked-choice voting, followed by the reasons for using the same.
Before that, let’s have a brief introduction to ranked-choice voting.
What is Ranked Choice Voting?
While making important decisions, everyone has different choices. For ranked choice voting, some consider the resolutions, and others look at specific constituents or shareholders. Moving forward, voters opt for multiple options and order the same according to their preferences.
Imagine there are three candidates- A, B & C. Instead of going for only one candidate, voters can rank the candidates according to their preference. This would be the first, second and third choice. After the first round, if no candidate receives the first-choice votes, it will be redistributed to the remaining ones based on second-choice preferences.
This process ends once a candidate receives most of the votes and is declared the winner. This ensures that the winner receives the support of the majority of the voters.
How Does Ranked Choice Voting Work?
According to FairVote.org, RCV already reached several cities in the US. Overseas and military voters can vote in federal elections with the simple methodology of ranked-choice voting. Here’s how it works-
Step 1-Ranking- Initially, the voters rank the candidates based on their preferences. This indicates their first, second and third choice.
Step 2- Counting– All the votes are counted.
Step 3- Elimination– If the candidates fail to receive any first-choice vote, the candidate with fewer votes gets eliminated. Moving forward, their votes will be redistributed to the remaining candidates based on their preferences.
Step 4- Recounting– The process of elimination and counting the votes continues until someone is declared a winner.
Step 5- Winner Declaration– Once the candidate receives the majority of the votes, is declared a winner.
5 Solid Reasons to Choose Ranked Choice Voting
As discussed earlier, ranked-choice voting needs majority of support. In its broadest sense, the entire process is centered around the voting power of all types of voters, who can make informed decisions while casting their vote. Let’s take a quick look at the reasons-
1. Promotes Collaboration
With RCV, candidates can present themselves as “potential individual” to the voters who support them as the second or third choice. This allows the candidate to broaden the appeal instead of appealing to the base.
2. Encourages Voter Participation
Voters can express their preferences with ranked choice voting. This will decrease the chances of vote wastage. Instead, it will lead to an increased number of voters as the voters will feel more empowered to cast their votes.
3. Strengthens the Democratic Process
RCV brings more choice to the voters by properly reflecting the preferences. This promotes the forming of better decision-makers, which reflects opinion diversity.
4. Saves Precious Time & Money
The need for separate runoff elections can be eliminated through ranked-choice voting. Thus, it can save funds and time for both the candidates and taxpayers. Moving forward, it streamlines the election process by reducing the requirement of costly runoff elections.
5. Digital Exposure
Nearly everything has stepped into this era to make a digital identity. It’s no exception when it comes to the voting procedure. This includes a website and various social media platforms that provide clear and concise information about the working methodology of ranked-choice voting. However, ensure that you’re using a domain that directly indicates the purpose of your website. You can use the dot vote domain from 101domain.com.
