My latest for @inthesetimesmag: Ranked choice voting is poised to become the next widespread democracy reform. Between ballot initiatives and its use in the Democratic presidential primary/general election, the next 12 months will be make-or-break. inthesetimes.com/article/22146/…
First up is NYC which will vote on the reform tomorrow (Tuesday, Nov 5). If New Yorkers vote #Yeson1, it will raise the number of those living in jurisdictions that use or will use RCV from 4 million to over 12 million. It will also prime the media to cover it moving forward.
Then up to 5 caucuses will likely use RCV in 2020 (Nevada, Hawaii, Alaska, Kansas, and Wyoming). This, if done correctly, will increase voter familiarity with RCV. And if the media does its job, these elections will inform the rest of the country about RCV.
An added benefit: In the course of the primary, a handful of presidential candidates have endorsed RCV, which signals to millions that RCV is worth supporting. (Think of AOC endorsing RCV this past weekend). This is great news for ballot initiatives (described below).
On Election Day 2020, Maine will use RCV to elect the president—first time in history. Millions will tune in to see if Trump wins Maine and whether Susan Collins is re-elected (another race that will use RCV). Pundits will have to explain how RCV works to viewers.
Finally: Massachusetts and Alaska may put RCV on the ballot in 2020. The biggest obstacle to winning these fights is lack of awareness about RCV. Given everything that I just described, momentum should be on reformers' sides.
RCV won't fix everything, but it is a much needed reform and we should be grateful that it is spreading across the nation. I hope that more states adopt RCV for the presidential general in time for 2020, too.
Really appreciate @MilesKLassin for the awesome edits and @GreggJLevine for urging me to write this one.
