We, the citizens of the United States, hereby petition the federal government to enact legislation requiring the implementation of ranked choice voting (RCV) in all federal elections. Ranked choice voting offers a fair and inclusive electoral system that better reflects the will of the electorate, promotes voter engagement, reduces polarization, and ensures representation for all citizens.

Background

Our current voting system, often referred to as 'first-past-the-post', has numerous flaws. It can lead to the election of candidates who do not have majority support, encourage negative campaigning, and discourage voter participation due to the perception that some votes are 'wasted'. A solution to these issues is ranked choice voting (RCV), a system where voters rank candidates in order of preference. Ranked choice voting ensures that the candidate with the broadest appeal wins the election. If no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their votes are redistributed according to second choices until a candidate achieves a majority.

Ranked choice voting has been successfully implemented in several cities across the United States including San Francisco, Oakland, Minneapolis, New York, and St. Paul (FairVote). Furthermore, Maine became the first state to adopt ranked choice voting for federal elections in 2018. A majority of voters reported that ranking was either easy, or very easy, according to FairVote.

Benefits of Ranked Choice Voting:

• Enhanced Voter Choice: Ranked choice voting allows voters to support their preferred candidates without fear of "wasting" their votes or inadvertently helping their least-preferred candidates.
• Reduced Polarization: By promoting candidates who appeal to a broader spectrum of voters, ranked choice voting incentivizes candidates to reach out to a wider range of constituents and discourages negative campaigning.
• Increased Voter Engagement: Ranked choice voting encourages voter participation by empowering citizens to express their true preferences without fear of their votes being disregarded.
• Improved Representation: Ranked choice voting fosters a more representative democracy by ensuring that elected officials have the support of a majority of voters, rather than just a plurality.

Call to Action

We urge Congress to pass legislation mandating the adoption of ranked choice voting in all federal elections. This reform is essential to strengthening our democracy, restoring faith in the electoral process, and ensuring that every voice is heard.

Join us in calling on Congress to pass legislation mandating ranked choice voting for all federal elections and primaries. Sign this petition today!