In the United States we primarily use a voting system known as “plurality winner-take-all.”
In this system, voters cast their ballots for a single candidate, and the candidate with the most votes, even if not a majority, wins the election. This winner-takes-all approach is commonly used in elections for various offices, including the presidency, Congress, and many state and local offices.
But there are drawbacks to this system. It limits the choices of the voters. It emphasizes a candidate’s personality over policy and issues. And it leans into negative campaigning along with bitter partisanship. It can even empower minority rule.
There is growing awareness of these flaws and mounting interest in moving away from winner-take-all approaches and adopting ranked choice voting.
Ranked choice voting (RCV) allows voters to express their preferences beyond a single candidate, providing a nuanced and comprehensive reflection of voter sentiment. It’s seen as a method to move away from the toxic politics we now have in America and provide a government that is more responsive to the will of the people.
But critics say RCV is too complex, costly and it’s un-American.
However, given what’s happening today in American government, Congress barely functions, the Senate over-emphasizes the will of special interests, and the presidency can be won with a minority share of votes. So is now the time to give ranked choice voting a hard look?
Guest:
Kelly Sechrist is the Senior Director of Advancement at the Ranked Choice Voting Resource Center.
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This interview will air on Monday, January 16, 2024.
