Ranked Choice Voting

Fair Vote Action  - Reps. Jamie Raskin (MD-8) and Don Beyer (VA-8), along with Sen. Peter Welch (VT), introduced the Ranked Choice Voting Act in Congress. This landmark legislation would institute ranked choice voting for all primary and general elections for the U.S. House and Senate beginning in 2028.

Ranked choice voting is the nation’s fastest-growing election reform, used in public elections for all voters in 50 cities, counties, and states. RCV has won in 27 city ballot measures in a row, and with RCV on the ballot in Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, and Oregon, the number of states using it could triple this fall.

Voters love RCV because it delivers better choices, better campaigns, and better governance. It discourages negative campaigning, and ensures winners have majority support. Several candidates can compete for a seat without fear of splitting the vote or playing “spoiler,” which opens our politics to new voices. Voters can rank their preferences honestly, instead of worrying about wasting their vote or having to vote for the “lesser of two evils.”

RCV already has a proven record in congressional elections. Maine has used it for congressional primaries and general elections since 2018, and Alaska has used it for general elections since 2022. Six Southern states – Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina – send ranked choice ballots to military and overseas voters so they can participate in runoffs.