rankedchoice

Ranked-choice, or ranked-choice voting (RCV), is an electoral method in which voters rank candidates in order of preference rather than voting for a single candidate. It is used in various forms, most commonly as instant-runoff voting (IRV) for single-winner elections and as the single transferable vote (STV) for multi-winner elections.

In a single-winner contest, ballots are counted in rounds. If a candidate receives a majority of first-preference votes, they win. If not, the candidate with the fewest first-preference votes is eliminated and their ballots are transferred to the next preferred candidate still in the race. This process repeats until a candidate exceeds 50% or only one candidate remains.

In multi-winner elections, STV aims for proportional representation. Voters rank candidates, votes are allocated to meet a quota (often the Droop quota); when a candidate reaches the quota, they are elected and their surplus votes are transferred to remaining candidates based on next preferences. This continues until all seats are filled.

Advantages of ranked-choice voting include reducing spoiler effects, expanding voter options, and producing winners with broader support. Critics point to greater ballot complexity, longer counting times, the possibility of ballot exhaustion (where no next preference exists), and concerns about strategic voting.

RCV has been adopted in various countries and in several U.S. states and cities for different offices. IRV is commonly used for mayoral elections in some jurisdictions, while STV is used for multi-member legislative elections in others.