Got an email for Zoom training for ranked choice voting. It is geared for candidates, but I listened in anyway. The trainer was Grace Ramsey co-directory, democracy rising. Any misinformation is the fault of the note taker. This is a submission to caucus corner.
- Candidates want to build a winning coalition for their voters and supporters.
- When you change the rules of elections, you change the lives of citizens.
Ranked choice voting 101:
- In 2018, Utah house bill 35 was signed into law. It allows municipal elections to use ranked choice voting.
- Vineyard and Payson, of Utah, were the first cities to participate in the pilot program
- In 2021, 23 cities will take part in the pilot program.
- The state of Main was the first who used ranked choice voting in 2016
- Ranked of choice voting rank candidate by preference.
- A candidate needs to obtain 50% of the vote to win.
- First choice is the one you want the most.
- Second choice is whom you want if your first choice is eliminated.
- Third choice is whom you want if your second choice does not win and your second choice is eliminated.
- After the first vote, the candidate that is lowest in votes is removed from the list. For those voters who had their first vote for that failed candidate, their next votes will be moved to the candidate of their second choice. That will move the remaining candidate numbers up in volume.
- The process is repeated until one of the reaming candidates still in the running obtains 50% of the vote, the majority.
- Q: How many candidates do I rank? They can vote for as many candidates on the ballot. Voters rank by preference of whom they want first.
- Candidates are the frontline of voter education
- org web site provided by Lt. governor
- The same ballot is run to select a voter’s second preferred candidate. The same voting card is used again for their second choice etc.
- Voting blunders:
- Ranking your vote: if you count all your votes for the same person as 1st, 2nt, 3rd and your first choice is eliminated, your 2-4 votes are dropped/wasted.
- Q: Does it hurt my favorite candidate to rank their competitors in my second, third etc. choice? No
- Voting for all candidates as first choice will reject your ballot.
