Ranked choice voting – an election method that lets voters rank candidates in order of preference – is gaining attention across the U.S. Supporters argue this can reduce polarization and give voters a greater voice compared to the traditional system. RankMIVote.org is leading the charge in Michigan.
In a ranked choice voting election, voters don’t select just one candidate – they rank the candidates from first choice to last. If a candidate wins more than 50% of first-choice votes, they win outright. If not, an instant runoff process kicks in: the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and ballots for that candidate are reallocated to those voters’ next ranked choice. This elimination and redistribution cycle continues in rounds until one candidate secures a majority and is declared the winner.
This means that if your top choice can’t win, your vote isn’t “wasted” – it can still count for your next preferred candidate. The system is intended to ensure the eventual winner has broad support, addressing one common critique of the current method where a candidate can win with a slim plurality.
RCV eliminates the incentive for “strategic voting” (picking the “lesser of two evils”) by allowing voters to vote their conscience – for example, ranking a third-party or outsider candidate first – without fear of inadvertently helping elect their least-favored candidate. As one advocate put it, "we do it every day when we make decisions that have multiple options," always having a backup choice in mind.
Pros of Ranked Choice Voting:
Potential Drawbacks and Criticisms:
Ranked choice voting is already in use in many elections across the U.S. Maine became the first state to adopt RCV statewide in 2016, and Alaska followed with a nonpartisan primary + RCV general election model in 2020. In 2022, Mary Peltola won Alaska’s U.S. House race through RCV, even though she wasn't the initial plurality leader.
According to FairVote, RCV is in place for public elections in 52 jurisdictions, reaching nearly 14 million voters. Major cities like New York City, San Francisco, Oakland, Minneapolis, and Santa Fe use RCV in local elections. Even Utah has piloted RCV in more than 20 cities. Skokie, IL, and Charlottesville, VA are the latest to join, and Boston recently approved a proposal to bring RCV to city elections.
However, backlash has also grown. In 2024, voters in DC approved RCV, but voters in Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, and Colorado rejected it. Meanwhile, Missouri voters approved a ban on RCV.
In Michigan, the nonprofit Rank MI Vote is leading a major campaign to get RCV on the 2026 statewide ballot. They aim to amend the state constitution to implement RCV for all state and federal elections, while also giving local governments the freedom to adopt RCV if they choose.
Several cities – East Lansing, Kalamazoo, Royal Oak, and Ann Arbor – have already passed local ballot measures supporting RCV. However, state law currently prevents implementation. The 2026 initiative would remove this barrier.
Rank MI Vote has held a "40 town halls in 40 days" tour, building a grassroots movement of over 1,000 volunteers. They are modeling their campaign after the successful 2018 anti-gerrymandering initiative led by Katie Fahey, which created Michigan's Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission.
Ron Zimmerman, Rank MI Vote’s executive director, explains: *"One thing ranked choice does is help reduce the extremity in our politics. Because it requires a 50% winner, every candidate has to appeal to a much broader swath of the community."
Rank MI Vote plans to finalize petition language and begin signature collection in late 2025. Their goal: let Michiganders decide whether to adopt a voting system that supporters say is more representative, more civil, and more democratic.
Ranked choice voting in the United States is at a turning point. It has already transformed elections in Maine, Alaska, and major cities nationwide. It has been embraced by diverse voters, candidates, and communities. But it also faces legal and political obstacles, as well as opposition campaigns that call it confusing or partisan.
For Michigan and the rest of the country, the next few years could be decisive. Will RCV continue to expand, reshaping how Americans vote? Or will it remain a reform tried only in pockets? As Rank MI Vote puts it, the power is now in voters' hands.
