Why ranked choice voting has grown in popularity
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Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios
Over the last eight years, ranked choice voting has exploded across the U.S. — seven times more people live in areas using the electoral system now than in 2016, according to nonpartisan research nonprofit FairVote.
Why it matters: This party-neutral system has been adopted in both deep red and deep blue areas of the country, while research suggests ranked choice voting can increase turnout and improve representation for women and people of color.
The big picture: As of 2024, more than 50 U.S. jurisdictions home to 16 million people — two states, three counties and 45 cities — use ranked choice for various kinds of elections, according to FairVote data.
- That number could roughly double after Election Day, as several states (Oregon, Nevada, Colorado, Arizona, South Dakota, Montana and Idaho) and multiple cities have a version of ranked choice or other election reform on the ballot this year.
- Yes, but: Alaska voters will decide whether to overturn ranked choice voting, which was narrowly approved there in 2020.
What they're saying: "It is no surprise that this push for reform is coming at a time when the vast majority of Americans don't believe that democracy is working for them," Meredith Sumpter, CEO and president of FairVote, told Axios.
Zoom in: Portland voters will decide the city's next mayor and 12 commissioners using ranked choice for the first time this year. Multnomah County will institute ranked choice in 2026.
How it works: Ranked choice voting was devised in the 1850s in Europe and has been used in the U.S. for over a century. It allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference and, in some cases, eliminates the need for primary and runoff elections.
- There are two main forms of ranked choice: single winner, where one candidate with broad support is selected, and proportional, where multiple popular candidates are chosen to serve on a legislative body.
Friction point: Proponents of ranked choice believe it frees voters of divisive two-party politics and empowers them to fully express their vote.
- Opponents argue that its purported advantages — like electing more moderate candidates and discouraging negative campaigning — are overstated.
- Some research also suggests big changes on the ballot can be confusing to voters.
The intrigue: Both Democrats and Republicans have attempted to block ranked choice election reforms in several states in the last year.
The bottom line: Despite pushback, the sheer number of ballot initiatives across the country this year about whether to adopt ranked choice voting is a sign that ranked choice is "winning because it's working," Sumpter said.
- "When voters have more choice, they have more buy-in," she added. "Then you have an elected leader who is more politically incentivized to engage and work on behalf of the broad majority."