Ranked Choice Voting 

Here’s a summary of ranked-choice voting (RCV), including its pros, cons, comparison to the U.S. winner-take-all system, and examples of countries that use it.

What is Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV)?

Ranked-choice voting is a system where voters rank candidates in order of preference (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.). If no candidate wins a majority (more than 50%) of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed based on the voters' next preferences. This process continues until a candidate achieves a majority.

Pros of Ranked-Choice Voting:

1. Reduces Strategic Voting
   Voters can honestly rank candidates without “wasting” their vote on a less popular choice.

2. Encourages More Civil Campaigns
   Candidates must appeal to a broader base to earn second or third-choice votes, reducing negative campaigning.

3. More Representative Outcomes
   RCV helps ensure winners have broader support, not just a simple plurality.

4. Promotes Third Parties and Independents
   Encourages a more diverse political landscape, breaking the dominance of two-party politics.

5. Reduces Spoiler Effect
   Candidates with similar platforms don’t split the vote and inadvertently help an opposing candidate win.

Cons of Ranked-Choice Voting:

1. Complexity for Voters
   Some voters may find ranking candidates confusing or be unsure how their vote is counted.

2. Longer Counting Process
   Results can take longer due to multiple rounds of tabulation.

3. Exhausted Ballots
   If all your ranked candidates are eliminated, your vote may not count in the final round.

4. Implementation Costs
   New voting machines and public education efforts can be expensive.

5. Doesn’t Eliminate All Electoral Issues
   While it reduces some flaws of plurality voting, RCV doesn’t fix gerrymandering or campaign finance issues.
   
   

Comparison to U.S. Winner-Take-All System:

Feature

Ranked-Choice Voting

Winner-Take-All (Plurality)

Vote Expression

Rank multiple candidates

Choose one candidate

Majority Requirement

Ensures majority support

Candidate can win with <50%

Third Parties

Encourages participation

Discourages due to spoiler effect

Campaign Tone

Incentivizes civility

Often promotes divisiveness

Election Result

More representative

Can misrepresent public preferences

Countries That Use Ranked-Choice Voting:

• Australia: Uses RCV (called “preferential voting”) in its House of Representatives.

• Ireland: Uses it for presidential and parliamentary elections.

• New Zealand: Uses it for some local elections.

• Malta: Uses a variation for parliamentary elections.

• Northern Ireland: Uses Single Transferable Vote (STV), a form of RCV, for several types of elections.

• Scotland: Uses STV for local elections.

In the United States, while I can't provide specific voter procedure details, cities like San Francisco, New York City, and Minneapolis have adopted RCV for local elections. Maine and Alaska use it for statewide elections.