Exclusive: D.C. group plans spendy messaging campaign on ranked-choice voting

What they're saying: Opportunity D.C., a pro-business advocacy group, tells Axios its outreach campaign will begin with mailers this week. Digital ads are also in the works, for a total spend in the mid-six figures, the group says.

• Antwanye Ford, a business owner and Opportunity D.C. board member, says the group commissioned a poll and found that 43% of people in D.C. were in the dark about ranked choice happening.
• "About 2 in every 3 Black voters were not aware of it," Ford told Axios. "We want people to know it's coming."

The big picture: D.C. has an open mayor's contest for the first time in 20 years, along with races to succeed Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton and several competitive council elections.

• Aka ... the wildest year in local politics.

How it works: RCV requires a candidate to get more than 50% of support to win their race.

• Voters will rank candidates in order of preference.
• If no candidate immediately wins outright, then the lowest-performing candidate is eliminated and their voters' next choices are counted instead. That process plays out until a candidate clears 50%.

Between the lines: Opportunity D.C. is also tied to a super PAC-like entity of the same name that's previously supported business-friendly candidates for office, including former Council member Kenyan McDuffie, who's now running for mayor.

• Ford says the group may endorse candidates this year.