What? Who? How?

As of July 2023, 51 American jurisdictions have RCV in place, reaching approximately 13 million voters. This includes 2 states, 3 counties, 46 cities, and military/overseas voters cast in federal runoff elections in 6 states. See them here!

Evidence shows that RCV elections often generate relatively high turnout. Most places that have adopted RCV have switched from a two-round system to a single RCV election. Primary and runoff elections often draw low turnout, but RCV substantially improves turnout by consolidating primary and runoff elections into a single higher-turnout general election. Learn more here!

Yes. Voting equipment used in Michigan is able to scan and count RCV ballots accurately and transparently, and notify voters of errors, just as it does now for all other elections. Minor software upgrades and state certifications are needed.

Ranking other candidates does not affect your first choice. Your vote counts for your first choice unless they are eliminated during the round-by-round count. Your second choice only counts if your first choice is eliminated. It’s a “backup choice” in case your favorite candidate doesn’t win.

Under Michigan’s Home Rule City Act, cities can determine the voting methods they use in their elections, as Ann Arbor successfully did in choosing to use RCV for its mayoral election in 1975.

 

When there’s a single winner in a race, runoffs are instantly run — by removing the candidate with the fewest votes and looking at that candidates voters’ next choice, and so on — until a candidate receives over 50% of voters’ support. Here’s a video that explains the process!

RCV is a nonpartisan reform that gives voters more voice and more choice in our elections. RCV promotes majority support and creates incentives for candidates to reach out to larger audiences of voters, rather than just one political base.

Voters in RCV jurisdictions report high levels of satisfaction with the method. Recent polling reflects a 61-94% approval for keeping RCV or expanding its use in states coast to coast. In surveys, voters overwhelmingly report a strong understanding of RCV. Analysis of ballots demonstrates that voters overwhelmingly make few errors in using RCV. Learn more here!

You’re welcome to rank as many or as few candidates as you like. Your ballot initially counts only for your top choice, no matter how many other candidates you ranked. Voting for just one candidate simply means that if your first choice is eliminated, your ballot becomes “inactive” or “exhausted” and does not count in future rounds.

Whether using RCV or the current system, mistakes are handled the same way. Just like now, if you make a mistake on your RCV ballot that would disqualify your ballot, the tabulator would reject your ballot and you would have an opportunity to correct it.

At present the Michigan Bureau of Elections hasn’t selected the process and vendors to use for RCV elections in Michigan, thus RCV elections won’t be carried out until that happens.

 

When there are multiple winners in a race, for example 3 seats on a commission, runoffs are instantly run — by removing the candidate with the fewest votes and looking at that candidates voters’ next choice, and so on — until there are desired number of winners. Here’s a video that explains the process!