Understanding Rank Choice Voting or Majority Vote (Part 3/4)
The Big Picture
Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) can take various forms, just like different types of engines power different vehicles. While all versions of RCV aim to improve electoral representation, they each operate in slightly different ways to achieve that goal.
Zooming In
The Pure RCV Model
In its purest form, RCV would feature one general election in November with all qualified candidates on the ballot. This system functions similarly to jungle primaries in California and Louisiana but with one key difference—voters rank every candidate from first to last.
As in traditional elections, if a candidate wins 50% plus one vote, the election is over. However, if no one secures a majority:
- The candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated.
- Votes for that candidate are redistributed to voters’ second choices.
- If no majority is reached, the process repeats, redistributing votes until a candidate secures a majority.
The Alaska Model
The Alaska Model is a two-stage election process:
- In the first stage, all candidates appear on a single ballot. Voters select their preferred candidate in a traditional voting process.
- The top four vote-getters advance to the general election in November.
- In the second stage, voters rank the remaining four candidates, and RCV determines the winner.
The Nevada Model, set to launch in 2026, follows the same process but selects five candidates instead of four in the primary stage.
The Maine Model
The Maine Model incorporates RCV into all federal races with three or more candidates. It is used in:
- Presidential preference primaries
- State-wide primaries
- General elections
Unlike the Alaska and Nevada models, Maine still uses a traditional party primary system. However, there are no runoffs—RCV ensures that the winning candidate in both primaries and general elections secures a majority.
RCV for Multi-Member Districts
Two approaches exist for applying RCV in multi-member districts:
1. The Bottoms-Up System
In a city council election with 15 seats and 17 candidates, the candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed. This continues until the number of remaining candidates matches the number of seats.
2. The Sequential RCV System
Instead of eliminating candidates, this model works in reverse:
- Once a candidate secures enough votes to win a seat, all ballots cast for them are removed.
- The next highest-ranked choices on those ballots are redistributed to other candidates.
- This process continues until all available seats are filled.
Independent Lens
Regardless of the model, Ranked Choice Voting helps ensure that elections reflect the majority’s will. It eliminates costly runoff elections, prevents vote-splitting, and allows independent voters to support candidates they truly believe in—without fear of wasting their vote.
Like choosing between an electric motor or a diesel engine, different RCV models may function differently, but they all aim to get voters to their destination: fair and representative elections.
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