Ranked Choice Voting on the Ballot in Wards 3 and 6
by Sean Gossard
When Takoma Park voters cast their ballots in November’s election, they will be using a ranked-choice voting system for races in Wards 3 and 6, which both have more than two candidates on the ballot.
Takoma Park first began using ranked-choice voting in 2007 after it earned the support of 84% of voters in a November 2005 advisory referendum. Ranked choice voting is now used in over 50 cities and two states (Alaska and Maine).
“Ranked choice voting helps us to ensure that our elected representatives actually represent us,” says Takoma Park Board of Elections member Joe Goldman. “In too many places, leaders get elected with the support of only a fraction of the electorate. Our election system supports candidates who are supported by a majority of voters.”
Ranked-choice voting works by allowing voters to rank candidates in order of preference. If a voter’s first choice doesn’t have a chance to win, their ballot counts for their next choice. A candidate needs a majority of votes to be elected. If no candidate receives a majority of first choice votes, the candidate with the fewest first choice votes is eliminated. If those ballots indicate a second choice, the votes are transferred to the voter’s second choice. This continues until a candidate receives a majority.
The advantage of ranked choice voting extends to both voters and candidates. With ranked choice voting, a candidate is incentivized to try to earn a voter’s second choice vote if they see that a voter will rank an opponent as their first choice.
While Takoma Park is the only jurisdiction in Maryland that has ranked choice voting, the tide has been turning on its reception with voters, according to Rob Richie , the former CEO of FairVote, a nonpartisan organization working for better elections, and a Takoma Park resident. In the past 5 years, there have been 27 straight ballot wins for ranked choice voting, including New York City.
“I’m hopeful we’ll see some progress in Maryland,” says Richie. “We have some younger leaders who have supported it. D.C. is voting on it in November, so we’ll see how that goes. Arlington County in Virginia went carefully at it with a one-year pilot and they found that it worked.”
In Takoma Park, non-citizens as well as those 16 and over on Election Day and all otherwise-eligible people with a felony conviction are allowed to vote in City elections.
“Takoma Park makes it easy for everyone to cast their vote by mail or dropping ballots off early at a drop box,” says Goldman. “Personally, I like to fill out my ballot as soon as it arrives and drop it off in person at the drop box. I hope that anyone who waits until the final week before the election will drop their ballot off in person, so that we can ensure that everyone’s vote gets counted. If you are voting by mail, make sure to take into account how long it takes for the postal service to deliver your mail.”
“Voting in local elections gives us a voice on the most important issues facing our community,” he says. “Our city government makes decisions that impact every facet of our lives. I hope everyone will take the time to cast their ballots and make their voices heard.”
Takoma Park elections are non-partisan and there’s no primary. Candidate forums were be held on Monday, Sept. 30, and Monday, Oct. 7.
Takoma Park’s election for city council and mayor will take place the same day as the presidential election on Tuesday, November 5. Most voters in the city election will vote by mail, but the Community Center will be open for City Election voting only. For the presidential election, you can find your local polling location online or on the sample ballot sent out by the Montgomery County Board of Elections.
This article appeared in the October Edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. Check out this article and more on the City webpage.
