Ranked Choice Voting
Our elections aren't working for all of us
In races with multiple candidates, voters are pressured to vote “strategically” instead of voting for whom they support. Campaigns are increasingly toxic and expensive, and most races in Oregon with more than two candidates result in the majority of voters having voted for someone who lost. Oregon’s 2022 elections proved this yet again – and we can do better.
Ranked choice voting: A simple way to improve our elections
Ranked choice voting is a simple improvement to our elections, giving voters more power and more meaningful choices. By giving voters the option to rank candidates in order of preference, ranked choice voting results in more representative outcomes and puts more power in the hands of voters – where it belongs.
Used in 51 jurisdictions across the United States (including four in our own state), ranked choice voting is the fastest growing nonpartisan election reform in the U.S. Now, we have an opportunity to bring it statewide to Oregon.
Ranked Choice Voting in Action
In Oakland’s very first ranked choice voting election, voters elected Jean Quan, the city’s first Asian American mayor and the first woman to hold the office. In the 2010 election, Quan was behind after first choice tabulations,, but rose to the top in later rounds by appealing to voters as a 2nd and 3rd choice. During her campaign, Quan connected with voters across the city, garnering broad appeal despite going against nine other candidates.
Why Ranked Choice Voting?
With ranked choice voting, Oregonians will:
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Elect candidates more reflective of our communities Ranked choice voting will allow candidates to run for office without fear of splitting the vote, paving the way for more first time candidates and candidates from diverse backgrounds. Cities that have switched to ranked choice voting elections have seen more women, people of color, working class people, and young people not only run for office, but win. |
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Ensure voters have more meaningful choices Ranked choice voting ensures that voters have more power to express their preferences and vote for candidates whose values they share. By allowing voters to rank candidates, their vote becomes more meaningful, has a greater impact, and, ultimately, leads to an outcome they are more satisfied with. |
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Encourage more grassroots, issue-based campaigns The 2022 midterm elections saw some of the worst mudslinging and most negative campaigns in Oregon’s history. Ranked choice voting helps solve these problems by creating more civil and issue-focused campaigns; candidates are incentivized to reach a broader range of voters, seeking not only first- but also second-choice votes. That means fewer attack ads and a greater focus on the issues important to most voters. |
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Bring meaningful change to Oregon's elections At a time when democracy is on the line across the nation, ranked choice voting provides a simple solution to create more inclusive and equitable elections for Oregonians from every community. With more than 60 jurisdictions across the U.S. using ranked choice voting, resources for multilingual and accessible voter education are at our fingertips. |
How Ranked Choice Voting Works
Ranked choice voting gives you the option to rank candidates in order of preference: first choice, second choice, third choice, and so on.
To win, a candidate must receive more than 50% of the vote. If, however, no candidate initially gets over 50% of the first-choice votes, then a runoff instantly takes place where the candidate with the fewest votes is defeated and voters who supported the defeated candidate have their votes count for their next choice. These runoffs happen in successive rounds until one candidate is declared the winner with over 50% of the vote.
You always have the option to only rank one candidate. Ranking your ballot won't hurt your favorite candidate’s chances, but will give your ballots more power.
Oregon's Time is Now 
Help us build on Oregon’s momentum and bring ranked choice voting statewide!
