Ranked Choice Voting

Ranked choice voting (RCV) is an electoral and political reform sweeping across North America, already adopted in a variety of places, including New York City, the state of Maine, and cities and towns in Minnesota, California, and Utah. In localities using RCV, voters don't cast just a single vote for one candidate, but rank candidates according to preference: first choice, second choice, third, and so forth. To be elected, a candidate must win a majority--not a plurality--of votes. Though touted by proponents as way to enhance voter satisfaction with elections, promote trust in government, and increase voter turnout, the implementation of RCV is not without its challenges. In Ranked Choice Voting, James W. Endersby and Michael J. Towle provide a comprehensive and balanced analysis of RCV systems, drawing from examples across the United States to evaluate how they function. Using a wealth of data from observed elections outcomes to election theory, from political history to interviews with advocates and election administrators, the authors detail the history, strengths, and weaknesses of RCV and preferential voting more generally. Broad-ranging, even-handed, and evidence-based, this authoritative overview of an increasingly popular format for democratic elections in the US will appeal to anyone interested in electoral reform and American democracy more generally.