| KFI 640 AM |
Irvine city officials are contemplating a significant change to their election system, potentially allowing voters to rank candidates in city elections starting in 2028.
During a meeting on Monday, the city council voted 4-3 to direct staff to draft an ordinance for transitioning from the current plurality voting system to a ranked choice voting system.
It would reduce negative campaigning
Councilmembers Kathleen Treseder, Betty Martinez Franco, and Melinda Liu proposed the change, arguing it would reduce negative campaigning and prevent the “spoiler effect” where additional candidates split votes. Treseder expressed that ranked choice voting would allow voters to support their preferred candidates without fear of wasting votes.