DemDaily: Electoral Systems on the Ballot
October 10, 2024
Among the 152 measures remaining on statewide and D.C. ballots in 2024, a record number of initiatives are dedicated to changes in state and local electoral systems.
Most prominent of those is ranked-choice voting (RCV). the country's fastest-growing electoral reform system.
| Under ranked-choice voting (RCV), voters rank their preference of candidates on their ballots. If no candidate wins an outright majority in the first round, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. The votes are then re-calculated according to the second choice of the last-place finisher's voters. The process is repeated until one candidate has a majority and is declared the winner. |
Status of the States: Maine and Alaska use RCV, also known as instant runoff voting (IRV) for all federal elections, including the presidential election, and Hawaii uses RCV for certain special elections. It is otherwise used in 60 jurisdictions across 24 states, which includes party-run primaries, special elections, and RCV ballots for military and overseas voters in federal runoff elections in six states.
In November, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and DC voters will decide whether to adopt RCV, while Missouri voters will decide on a constitutional amendment that would preempt RCV.
Other electoral system changes on the ballot include those for and against Jungle Primaries in which candidates, regardless of partisan affiliation, appear on a single ballot and a certain number advance to the general election, such as top-two or top-four primaries.
Washington and California use the top-two primary system and Alaska has a top-four primary with a ranked-choice runoff since the 2022 House special election -- which is on the ballot to repeal. South Dakota voters will decide on replacing partisan primaries with top-two primaries.
Arizona has competing measures over partisan, top-two primaries and RCV, as does Montana.
The Debate
Proponents of ranked-choice voting contend it allows voters to cast their ballot for their favorite candidate, even if he or she doesn't win, eliminating the fear of wasting your vote, and that it betters determines the candidate with the strongest support across the entire electorate.
Supporters also say it encourages more civility among candidates because instead of attacking your opponents, playing for second place is a viable strategy. It also eliminates the need for multiple elections in contests that have runoff requirements, in turn saving money for the jurisdiction and reducing hassle for voters.
Opponents say RCV is too complicated and causes confusion among voters - requiring education about how it works. This could leave voters frustrated with the experience or without voting properly. People could lose faith in the voting process because the candidate with the most votes in the first round could end up losing when votes are shifted to the next ranked choices.
Detractors also argue that a vote might not count if it is "exhausted" -- which happens in RCV when all of the candidates a voter ranks are eliminated, as is their vote. Had the voter known who the final two would be, the outcome of the election might be different. Lastly, they say it violates the "one vote, one vote" principle as with RCV it appears that each voter is casting their ballot multiple times if their first, second or third choices are eliminated.
Electoral Systems on the Ballot
Alaska Ballot Measure 2: Repeal the top-four ranked-choice voting (RCV) system that was adopted in 2020.
Arizona Proposition 133: Require partisan primary elections for partisan offices and prohibit primary elections where all candidates, regardless of political party affiliation, run in the same primary election, such as top-two, top-four, and top-five primaries.
Arizona Proposition 140: Require primaries in which candidates, regardless of partisan affiliation, appear on a single ballot and a certain number advance to the general election, and require general election candidates to receive a majority of votes.
Colorado Proposition 131: Establish top-four primaries and ranked-choice voting (RCV) for federal and state offices in Colorado.
District of Columbia Initiative 83: Establish ranked-choice voting for elections in Washington, DC.
Idaho Proposition 1: Establish top-four primaries and ranked-choice voting (RCV) for federal, state, and certain local offices in Idaho.
Missouri Amendment 7: Prohibit ranked-choice voting (RCV) and the state local and governments from allowing noncitizens to vote.
Combining the citizenship question with the RCV vote is considered by some to be "ballot candy" -- intended to entice voters to support the proposed ranked-choice voting ban that is included in the same legislative-referred constitutional amendment.
| Also on the Ballot: Voters in Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wisconsin will decide whether to prohibit non US citizens from voting in their state elections. The measures are rooted in unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud, and GOP efforts to inflame anti-immigrant sentiments. |
Montana CI-126: Establish top-four primaries for federal and state offices in Montana.
CI-127: Require an electoral system in which candidates for certain offices must win a majority of the vote, rather than a plurality, to win the election.
Nevada Question 3: Establish top-five primaries and ranked-choice voting (RCV) for federal and state offices in Nevada.
Oregon Measure 117: Establish ranked-choice voting (RCV) for federal and state offices in Oregon.
South Dakota Constitutional Amendment H: Establish top-four primaries for federal, state, and certain local offices in South Dakota.
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Kimberly Scott
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Sources: Ballotpedia, CNN, BISC, FairVote, Washington Post, IllustrateToEducate, RockTheVote
