Ranked Choice Voting (RCV)

The word democracy implies fairness.  When we examine current practices around voting in our country, fairness is not apparent in all cases.  I am going to leave the “how” it works to a video: Ranked-choice voting in Minneapolis. The “Why” it works is that it adds fairness to the process.  

One way to promote RCV would be to implement it in our internal Olympia Indivisible voting for candidates to endorse.  To this end the Endorsement team will become knowledgeable in the “how” and make recommendations to the Steering Committee regarding implementation.

Cookies and Conversation Event:

• February 13, 7PM to 8:30PM 
• Glen Hubbard will host and be co-hosted by Harmon Eaton
• There will be cookies.
• Please RSVP to cookiesandconversationrsvp@gmail.com.  
  Directions will be sent.

Here are some talking points from Fair Vote Washington:

Major Benefits of Ranked Choice Voting
More Options on Your Ballot

• You’ll have greater choice and more say in who we elect because it’s not necessary to narrow the field to the top two candidates as we do now in Washington. Ranked choice voting allows for a wide field of candidates while still ensuring that the winner has the broadest possible support.
• And more candidates are encouraged to run because they don’t need to worry about being a spoiler and splitting the vote with other, similar candidates.

Vote for Who You Really Want

• No more worrying about the lesser of two evils, or wasting your vote.
• If your favorite doesn’t have enough support to win, your vote still counts for your next choice.
  
  
  

Put an End to Negative Campaigns

• Candidates must appeal more broadly to voters and that means more civility.
• Negative campaigning is not an effective strategy in ranked-choice elections since every candidate wants to be the second or third choice of their opponents’ supporters. Consequently, campaigns are more issues-focussed.

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