Ranked Choice Voting: A Trojan Horse for One-Party Rule?

By Danielle Cassase, Co-Director and Co-Founder Project CIVICA

(Image created by Chat GPT)

Understanding the System Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) is a method that allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference instead of selecting just one. It is used in some local elections, including in New York City for primaries and special elections. The goal is to achieve a winner with broader support, but its implementation raises important strategic and structural concerns.

Here’s how RCV works: voters rank candidates (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.). If no one wins a majority (over 50%) of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. Voters who chose that candidate have their votes reassigned to their next choice. This process continues until one candidate secures a majority of the remaining active ballots.

(image created by ChatGPT)

The Origins of RCV Ranked Choice Voting was first developed in the 19th century by mathematicians like Carl Andræ (in Denmark) and later by political theorist Thomas Hare in the UK. The modern form, often called Instant Runoff Voting (IRV), gained attention in the United States during reform movements that sought to weaken political machines and promote broader representation. It has been promoted by organizations like FairVote and adopted in local U.S. jurisdictions as a response to concerns about vote-splitting and plurality winners with limited support.

In the U.S., early implementations occurred in cities like Cincinnati (1950s) and Cambridge, MA, which still uses a form of RCV for city council elections. More recent adoption has occurred in places like San Francisco, Minneapolis, and New York City, often through ballot initiatives. While initially framed as a way to increase fairness and representation, long-term results have been mixed, especially in cities with dominant single-party control.

Case Study: Alaska’s 2022 Special Election

In 2020, Alaska adopted a top-four nonpartisan primary followed by a ranked-choice general election for statewide offices. In the 2022 U.S. House special election, Republican voters split their first-choice votes between Sarah Palin and Nick Begich III, while Democrat Mary Peltola consolidated support and ultimately won the seat. Despite the fact that a majority of voters preferred a Republican candidate initially, the redistribution of votes under RCV enabled the Democrat to win—a result that surprised many and sparked national debate. Critics argued that RCV did not reflect the true intent of the majority and contributed to voter disillusionment.

Do You Have to Rank All Candidates? No. Voters are not required to rank more than one candidate. You may choose to rank just your top choice. However, if your top choice is eliminated and you haven’t listed others, your ballot becomes inactive—this is called ballot exhaustion.

Strategic Voting Under RCV Despite the intent to increase voter power, RCV does not necessarily enhance your influence. Ranking more candidates doesn’t strengthen your vote—it can actually work against you. If you rank candidates you don’t fully support, your vote may help elect someone you oppose over your top choice. This has led many campaign strategists to recommend “bullet voting”: rank only your most preferred candidate and leave the rest blank. This strategy is particularly advised in contentious or ideologically polarized races, where:

• The risk of aiding ideological opponents is high

• Voters want to send a strong, uncompromised message of support

• Lesser-known or outsider candidates risk early elimination due to the structure of the system

Why 50%? The majority threshold in RCV systems is designed to ensure the winning candidate has broad support. While not federally mandated, this standard aligns with democratic ideals of consensus. Courts have upheld RCV under the U.S. Constitution, provided it doesn't violate equal protection or disenfranchise voters. But it’s important to note that “majority” in RCV means a majority of remaining active ballots, not all ballots cast. Many ballots can become inactive before the final round.

(Image from Wikepedia’s Presidential 2024 Election Results Map)

Pitfalls and Problems with RCV

1. Single-Party Outcomes: In cities dominated by one party (like NYC with its Democratic supermajority), nonpartisan RCV primaries can lead to general elections with only candidates from the same party, reducing political diversity and disenfranchising minority party voters.

2. Ballot Exhaustion: Many voters don’t rank all candidates. If their choices are eliminated, their ballots stop counting in later rounds. This can leave final results decided by fewer active votes than were originally cast.

3. Center Squeeze Effect: Moderates may be eliminated early if they’re not a popular first-choice, even if they could’ve been broadly acceptable. This can benefit more polarizing candidates who are strategically ranked.

4. Voter Confusion and Mistakes: RCV ballots are more complex. Errors—like ranking the same candidate multiple times—can invalidate a vote. Some voters also misunderstand that ranking others doesn’t help their top choice, leading to disillusionment.

5. Delayed Results: Counting takes longer because of the elimination and redistribution process. This can delay official results and weaken public confidence.

Legal Context

• U.S. Constitution: Gives states authority to regulate elections (Article I, Sec. 4).

• Federal Law: Does not prohibit RCV but requires systems to meet constitutional fairness.

• New York Law: RCV is allowed in certain localities; NYC uses it in limited races. There is no statewide mandate or prohibition.

  

(Image created by Chat GPT)

Challenging RCV in NYC: Legal and Civic Options If Ranked Choice Voting appears to reduce voter choice, suppress competition, or entrench single-party dominance, there are several ways citizens can challenge its use in New York City:

1. Legal Challenge: RCV can be contested in court on constitutional grounds such as equal protection (14th Amendment) or voter disenfranchisement due to ballot exhaustion. Claims could also be made under the Voting Rights Act if RCV is shown to disadvantage minority groups or suppress voter participation.

2. Legislative Advocacy: Citizens can lobby state or city lawmakers to amend election laws or restrict RCV use. The NYC Council or New York State Legislature could introduce legislation to repeal or limit RCV in local races.

3. Charter Revision or Ballot Initiative: NYC's RCV system was implemented by a charter amendment. Citizens can call for a Charter Revision Commission or initiate a petition for a new public referendum to repeal or revise the policy.

4. Public Awareness and Education: Community leaders and organizations can run informational campaigns to educate voters on the unintended effects of RCV and build momentum for reform. Sharing data, testimonies, and case studies (like Alaska’s 2022 election) can help inform and mobilize public support.

These approaches, taken together or independently, empower New Yorkers to evaluate whether RCV aligns with the principles of fair, representative democracy—and to act when it does not.

Conclusion RCV is often presented as a way to increase fairness and voter choice, but in practice, it introduces new complexities and strategic risks. It may reduce diversity in general elections, create confusion, and lead to outcomes that do not reflect the full will of the voters. Voters should understand not only how to use RCV, but also how to strategically protect their preferences—by only ranking candidates they genuinely support.

Project Civica is hosting a Ranked Choice Voting Zoom meeting with national expert Phil Izon of 907 Honest on 5/15. He is leading efforts in Alaska and Maine to repeal Ranked Choice Voting. Details about the meeting can be found at ProjectCivica.org.

Project CIVICA is a civic action organization focused on New York State. For more information about joining our initiatives, please see ProjectCivica.org.

Donate Now - Help Us Fight for New York

References

• FairVote: https://www.fairvote.org

• Ballotpedia: Ranked-Choice Voting https://ballotpedia.org/Ranked-choice_voting_(RCV)

• Alaska Division of Elections: https://www.elections.alaska.gov/RCV/

• National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL): https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/ranked-choice-voting