Ranked-choice voting (RCV) can refer to one of several ranked voting methods used in some cities and states in the United States. The term is not strictly defined, but most often refers to instant-runoff voting (IRV) or single transferable vote (STV), the main difference being whether only one winner or multiple winners are elected. At the federal and state level, instant runoff voting is used for congressional and presidential elections in Maine; state, congressional, and presidential general elections in Alaska; and special congressional elections in Hawaii. Since 2025, it is also used for all elections in the District of Columbia.
Single transferable voting, only possible in multi-winner contests, is not currently used in state or congressional elections. It is used to elect city councillors in Portland, Oregon, Cambridge, Mass., and several other cities.[2][3]
As of April 2025, RCV is used for local elections in 47 US cities including Salt Lake City and Seattle.[4] It has also been used by some state political parties in party-run primaries and nominating conventions.[5][6][7] As a contingency in the case of a runoff election, ranked ballots are used by overseas voters in six states.[4]
Since 2020, voters in seven states have rejected ballot initiatives that would have implemented, or allowed legislatures to implement, ranked choice voting. As of June 2025, ranked-choice voting has also been banned in seventeen states.[8][9][10]
Notwithstanding apparent efforts by RCV advocates to implement RCV in all elections, there exists much public, private, and academic hesitation as to the viability of such an undertaking. Complexity, cost, possible promotion of strategic voting, and issues of transparency are among issues cited as barriers to adoption.[11]
- ^ "WHERE IS RCV USED?". RCV Resources. Ranked Choice Voting Resource Center. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
- ^ "A wave of cities across the U.S. switch to fair voting systems" https://electoral-reform.org.uk/a-wave-of-cities-across-the-united-states-switch-to-fair-voting-systems/ accessed June 11, 2025
- ^ "Cambridge STV rules" https://opavote.com/methods/cambridge-stv-rules accessed June 11, 2025
- ^ a b "Where is Ranked Choice Voting Used?". FairVote. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
- ^ "Perspective | How ranked-choice voting saved the Virginia GOP from itself". Washington Post. November 5, 2021. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
- ^ "Ranked Choice Voting in Utah". Utah Ranked Choice Voting. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
- ^ "2020 State Convention". The Indiana Republican Party. May 20, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
- ^ "Iowa becomes the sixth state to ban ranked-choice voting this year". Ballotpedia News. June 5, 2025. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
- ^ Ennis, Chad (June 16, 2023). "Ranked-choice voting is an elections-administration nightmare". The Hill. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ^ England, Trent; Snead, Jason (April 26, 2024). "The ranked-choice voting fad is finally ending". The Hill. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
- ^ Williams, Jack; Baltz, Samuel; Stewart, Charles III (April 13, 2023). Votes Can Be Confidently Bought in Some Ranked Ballot Elections, and What to Do about It. Cambridge University Press (Report). Retrieved May 6, 2024.