Tag: USA

United States of America

  • New survey: Americans want ranked choice voting in congressional elections

    | Marina Buskey | FairVote |

    As our politics grow more divided and campaigns become more toxic, Americans want change. New surveys asked Americans in competitive states and congressional districts for their views on several election reforms. Below are some key takeaways:

    “Americans want better elections”

    66% of Americans support using ranked choice voting (RCV) in congressional elections – including 70% of Democrats and 64% of Republicans. RCV has majority support in all 11 states and 28 districts surveyed. 

    The surveys also find broad majority support for nonpartisan redistricting committees, term limits for members of Congress, restrictions on campaign donations from large PACs, tougher financial disclosure rules, and tax credits for individual small donations to campaigns. Americans want better elections. Our leaders should listen.

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  • Report: 125 Primary Winners Didn’t Get a Majority. For 21, Congress Is All But Guaranteed

    | Shawn Griffiths | IVN |

    A record-number of candidates advanced from the primary election season this year with less than a majority of the vote, according to a new report from FairVote. What’s more, many of them already know they are going to win ahead of November.

    “Ranked choice voting in primaries would help”

    "In states and districts across the country, majority rule has been replaced with 'fewest votes wins,'" said FairVote Senior Director of Research and Policy Deb Otis.

    FairVote argues that ranked choice voting in primaries would help address the problem by allowing voters to rank candidates in order of preference rather than selecting just one.

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  • Beth Fukumoto: Who Doesn’t Like Ranked Choice Voting? Incumbents

    | Patti Epler | Honolulu Civil Beat |

    Ranked choice voting has only one real enemy in American politics, and it isn’t a political party. It’s incumbency.

    Ranked choice voting, which will be on Honolulu residents’ ballots in November, is one of the fastest growing voting reforms in the country. Seventeen cities, counties and states now use some version of ranked-choice voting, which advocates say broadens who can actually run and win. That’s precisely why the reform has gained powerful enemies.

    “More civil campaign culture”

    Honolulu Question 5, which will appear on Oʻahu ballots in November, is our best opportunity to implement a broadly applicable ranked choice voting system that could increase competition, build a more civil campaign culture and engage more voters.

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  • Ranked-choice voting will be used in U.S. Senate race in Maine

    | Rachel Ohm | Portland Press Herald |

    Ranked-choice voting will be used in the U.S. Senate race featuring incumbent Sen. Susan Collins and Democratic challenger Troy Jackson.

    That’s because a half-dozen write-in candidates have formally declared in the race, according to a list from the Maine Department of the Secretary of State. The deadline for candidates to declare as write-ins in state races was Tuesday at 5 p.m.

    “Ranked-choice voting is used only in federal races and state primaries”

    As a result of their candidacies, voters will get ranked-choice ballots in the U.S. Senate race, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said at a Tuesday afternoon event with reporters.

    Under state law, ranked-choice voting is used only in federal races and state primaries, and cannot be used in the November election for governor.

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  • 68,000 “zombie votes” decide Wisconsin governor primary

    | Matthew Oberstaedt, Avery Hyde | FairVote |

    “Zombie” votes – votes cast for candidates who withdraw from a race before Election Day – are a significant problem in our elections, and they’re becoming more common as more Americans vote early or by mail. If you cast an early ballot for a candidate who drops out – after you’ve already voted, but before primary day – you essentially have no say.

    “Majority winners”

    Ranked choice voting (RCV) solves that problem by letting voters rank backup choices, and also ensures majority winners in crowded fields. If their favorite candidate drops out (or doesn’t have a chance to win), their vote counts for whomever they ranked next.

    Zombie votes are a nationwide problem that affects both parties. For instance, in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, more than 3 million people cast votes for candidates who had withdrawn from the race – including tens of thousands in Wisconsin. 700,000 Republicans in 2016, and 300,000 Republicans in 2024 cast zombie votes as well.

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