How to Stop Ranked-Choice Voting

States can stop ranked-choice voting. The legislature and governor can enact a state law to ban RCV in any state or local elections. Florida, Tennessee, Idaho, South Dakota, and Montana have already done this, and many other states are considering such protections.

In states without such a law, voters and officials should resist attempts to enact RCV. This is often done at the local level as a way to normalize RCV before pushing to expand it. Yet even in small elections, the complex process has led to voter frustration and election mistakes.

Even where RCV is used, voters can demand its repeal. That has happened in Aspen, Colorado, and in one of the largest counties in Washington state. Repeal movements are active and gaining ground in other places as well. In fact, RCV was tried in some American cities early in the 20th century—but every one repealed it, often after just one or two elections.