Tag: Wisconsin

WI

  • Breaking Down Ranked Choice Voting in the 2026 Wisconsin Primary

    | Larry Sandler | Milwaukee Magazine |

    Crowley edged Hong by half a percentage point in the crowded and chaotic Aug. 11 primary, in which four of seven candidates dropped out and Crowley jumped back in, all after ballots were printed and absentee voting was under way. The race’s wild trajectory left some voters wondering how the campaign might have played out in a ranked-choice voting system.

    Under the current system, you only get one vote. And in this state, if you cast an absentee ballot for a candidate who drops out, you can’t change your vote to someone who is still in the race.

    “68,000 votes that could have gone to someone whose candidacy was still alive”

    RCV advocates at Fair Vote call those “zombie votes.” Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes and former state development chief Missy Hughes weren’t among the walking dead themselves, but their names remained undead on the Democratic primary ballot after they stopped running. Together they received more than 68,000 votes that could have gone to someone whose candidacy was still alive, in a race decided by less than 3,800 votes. With RCV, their supporters’ second or third choices could have counted toward the outcome. 

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  • America’s Democracy Is Cracking. The Revolution to Rebuild It Has Already Begun.

    | Rob Richie | IVN |

    Americans’ celebration of 250 years of independence invites reflection on the Declaration of Independence and its values of equality, liberty, and democratic renewal. Those values are a beacon to guide where our nation must go to live up to its promise.

    “Fairer outcomes for voters”

    Ranked choice voting (RCV) has moved from an exciting idea to deciding presidential elections in Alaska, Maine and Washington, D.C. and electing governors, Members of Congress, and leaders of major cities. RCV clearly provides fairer outcomes for voters, who in exit surveys show consistent support. Allowing voters to rank candidates in order of choice upholding majority rule by eliminating the “spoiler” effect, and enabling meaningful consideration of independents and minor parties.

    Expect at least three cities to add to the streak of more than 30 straight wins for RCV on city ballots, and ongoing proof of concept in practice. With voters under 50 overwhelmingly in support of RCV, we could see Congress act to remove administrative barriers to RCV in 2029, unlocking progress toward general reimagining voting as ranking.

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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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