Read media coverage and key updates about Ranked Choice Voting in California. News & Updates Dec 11, 2025 Research Independent Voter News Why Mathematicians Love Ranked Choice Voting The Institute for Mathematics and Democracy (IMD) has released what may be the most comprehensive empirical study of ranked choice voting ever conducted. Nov 19, 2025 Op-Ed San Jose Spotlight Charron: It’s time for Santa Clara County to adopt ranked choice voting If we can spend $13 million on an extra election, we can certainly invest a fraction of that to make our voting system fairer. Nov 10, 2025 RCV in the News City Watch LA LA Charter Reform Commission Considers Council Expansion, Proportional Ranked-Choice Voting, and Election Cost Savings LA Charter Review Commission may recommend overhauling council elections with proportional ranked-choice voting, aiming for cost savings and fairer representation Nov 6, 2025 RCV in the News DemocracySOS Election 2025: Ranked Choice Voting A timely examination of how ranking candidates reshapes electoral dynamics Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Cal RCV Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Oct 1, 2025 Research Drake Rambke, Journal of Election Administration, Research & Practice How Better Ballot Design and Voter Education Improved Oakland’s Ranked-Choice Voting Elections Due to improvements in ballot design and voter guidance, the special election ran smoothly Sep 29, 2025 Op-Ed, Cal RCV Updates CityWatch LA Redistricting, Proportional Representation and LA Charter Reform Beyond Maps: How LA Could Make Every Vote Count Aug 29, 2025 Op-Ed New York Times Politicians Are Polarized. American Voters, Not So Much. RCV enables ideologically complex voters to express their nuanced views Aug 10, 2025 Op-Ed San Francisco Chronicle California can never win a race to the bottom with Trump on redistricting First, California and its Democrats should enact proportional representation, the fairest way to divide up legislative seats. Jun 1, 2025 Op-Ed The UCSD Guardian The case for ranked choice voting As more democracies confront the limitations of outdated systems, ranked choice voting stands out as a practical reform that brings elections closer to reflecting the true will of the people. Apr 22, 2025 Op-Ed Sacramento Bee This simple change could increase voter participation and political civility in Sacramento Evidence shows this method promotes political civility, supports consensus and gives voters greater choice and satisfaction. Apr 15, 2025 RCV in the News San Jose Spotlight Santa Clara County puts ranked choice voting on back burner Santa Clara County officials aren’t killing the idea of ranked choice voting — they just need to sort out an “existential crisis” before seismically shifting Silicon Valley elections. Dec 16, 2024 RCV in the News Capitol Weekly Podcast A look at Ranked Choice Voting for Sacramento With Josh Rosa of Better Ballot Sacramento Oct 16, 2024 Op-Ed San Francisco Standard Baffled by the mayor’s race? Here's how to be a tactical ranked-choice voter Ranked-choice voting works as a powerful system that narrows a crowded field of candidates through a series of computer-assisted instant runoffs. Oct 6, 2024 Cal RCV Updates Cal RCV Case Studies: RCV in Maine and Alaska With RCV on the ballot in several more states this November, it’s a good chance to compare how it works in each state and look at how it has affected election outcomes. Sep 15, 2024 RCV in the News Vallejo Sun Could ranked choice voting make Vallejo's City Council more representative? Ranked choice, also known as instant runoff voting, allows voters to rank candidates in order from their favorite to least preferred candidate. Sep 6, 2024 Research Electoral Studies - An International Journal Does Ranked Choice Voting Increase Voter Turnout and Mobilization While critics of RCV complain that it confuses and somehow disenfranchises voters, a recent research paper found significant and substantially higher probabilities of turnout in places that use RCV. Aug 21, 2024 Cal RCV Updates Cal RCV Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - August 2024 Cal RCV supporters heard from Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause New York, about the RCV rollout in NYC Jun 5, 2024 Cal RCV Updates Cal RCV Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - June 2024 Guest speakers shared insights and updates on RCV progress in California and our neighbor to the north, Oregon Jun 5, 2024 RCV in the News NBC Bay Area Santa Clara County considering ranked-choice voting Santa Clara County is considering a fundamental change to voting, which is moving to a ranked-choice voting model. Load More

Why Mathematicians Love Ranked Choice Voting Dec 11, 2025 The Institute for Mathematics and Democracy (IMD) has released what may be the most comprehensive empirical study of ranked choice voting ever conducted. The Institute for Mathematics and Democracy (IMD) has released what may be the most comprehensive empirical study of ranked choice voting ever conducted. The 66-page report analyzes nearly 4,000 real-world ranked ballot elections, including some 2,000 political elections, and more than 60 million simulated ones to test how different voting methods perform. The study’s conclusion is clear. Ranked choice voting methods outperform traditional first-past-the-post elections on nearly every measure of democratic fairness. Read IVN's coverage and download the 66-page report . All News & Updates

Ranked Choice Voting is proven to increase diversity among elected officials (especially women and people of color), decrease negative campaigning, and save money. Learn About Ranked Choice Voting Ranked choice voting, known as RCV, is a simple reform that can lead to significant benefits for our cities, state, and country. It's a commonsense upgrade from the broken single-choice voting approach that favors entrenched interests and underlies so much political dysfunction. It's straightforward: RCV lets you rank candidates 1st, 2nd, 3rd and so on instead of being forced to choose just one. If your first choice can’t win, your vote automatically transfers to your second choice. How Ranked Choice Voting Works Video courtesy of Cal RCV partner Democracy Rising Here 's ho w it works: We all vote just like we do in single-choice elections, except with RCV, we get to rank candidates in order of preference. We ran k things all the time in our everyday lives. Ranking candidates comes easily and naturally. Because it's new, researchers have asked voters how well they understand RCV after they use it, and people consistently say they understand RCV and want to use it again. To start, everyone’s first choices are tallied. If a candidate gets a majority (50% + one vote), then that candidate wins. This upholds the principle of majority rules. When we’re selecting one candidate for office (like mayor or governor) the most fair and representative outcome is that they need to earn more than half of the votes to win. (In single-choice voting, a majority winner isn’t required, so someone could win with just 20% or 30% as long as no one else got more votes.) If no candidate gets a majority of the first-choice votes, then the candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated. Voters who ranked that candidate as their first choice have their vote instantly transferred to their second choice. If your favorite candidate can’t win, you still get a voice! If you’ve ranked someone second, your vote gets transferred to them immediately. You still have power in the election. After the votes are instantly transferred, if a candidate has a majority, they win. If no one gets a majority of votes, the process is repeated. This instant runoff process happens automatically, on election night, without voters having to come back and fill out another ballot like with single-choice runoff elections. Why make this change? Aren’t our elections running just fine? No – single-choice elections most definitely are not running just fine. Our politics are dangerously polarized, people feel like their votes don’t matter, and our elected officials don’t actually represent the communities they’re supposed to. These are the results of our antiquated, unfair, and easily-gamed single-choice voting system. It's time to demand better elections. STAY UPDATED on efforts to put RCV on the ballot across California. Sign up for Cal RCV emails Try Ranked Choice Voting Try it for yourself! Rank one or more California destinations, click submit, then view the preliminary results to see who won and how everyone's votes are tallied. Proportional Ranked Choice Voting RCV, as explained above, is ideal for single-winner elections. We also have positions that are held by many people – think of city councils, the state legislature in Sacramento, and Congress in Washington DC. What’s the most fair way to choose the people who make up those legislative bodies? It should be proportional to the constituency it represents. That’s where proportional ranked choice voting (PRCV) comes in. Also known as multi-winner RCV, this system uses the same ranked ballot approach as single-winner RCV and has all the same benefits you've seen so far. But crucially, it adds the concept of proportional representation. Proportional representation is the gold standard of representative democracy. It means that a legislature should reflect all of the voters who elect them. Like-minded voters should be able to elect representatives in proportion to their number. Here's how Proportional RCV (PRCV) works: Just like with single-winner RCV explained above, we get to rank candidates in order of preference. Picking candidates in a multi-winner race (for example, voting to fill multiple seats on a city council) is exactly the same process for voters: we rank one, or two, or three, or more of the candidates each of us likes. Instead of requiring a majority (50%+1) of votes, winning candidates need to meet a minimum threshold based on how many seats are available. Simple math determines the minimum threshold: it's the percent of votes above which it's mathematically impossible for a candidate to lose. It's one over the number of seats being run for plus one . So an election for three city council seats requires 1 / (3 + 1) = 2 5% (plus 1) of the total votes cast in order for a candidate to earn one of the seats. 4 seats would have a 20% threshold, and so on. Note that PRCV upholds the principle of major ity rules: a majority of the people pick a majority of the winners, but PRCV stops the "tyranny of the majority" because it ensures that people in the minority still get representation. If a district is 60% Democratic, 3 of the 5 winners would likely be Democrats. Conversely, if a district is 60% Republican, we would expect 3 of the 5 winners to be Republicans. If 20% of voters are independent, 1 of the 5 representatives would probably be independent. On election night, everyone’s first choices are tallied. If a candidate achieves the minimum threshold, then that candidate wins. But because we are electing multiple people, we don't stop after the first winner is declared. Next, if the leading candidate earned more than enough votes (over the threshold), all the people who voted for that candidate get to have a proportional share of their second-choice vote counted to determine additional winners (instead of "throwing out" those surplus votes). This allows voters to be more fully represented by their choices, in proportion to their percent of the voting population. Fewer votes are wasted. The calculation itself is complex, but it's done instantly -- on election night -- using certified tabulation software employing clearly documented algorithms. Minnesota Public Radio has a great explainer video . Then, if no more candidates have enough votes to get elected, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and all votes for that candidate are transferred to those voters’ next choices. So all the people who ranked a losing candidate highly also still get their votes counted as much as possible. Just because you ranked someone who couldn't win first doesn't mean you shouldn't still get a vote for the second, third, and so on winners in a multi-winner race. But wait — we usually vote for one person per district. T hat's right. In many cities and for the Assembly, State Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, there are single-member districts with winner-take-all elections. To achieve proportional representation, we need to change the law and create fewer, larger 3 to 5 member districts, and use PRCV to proportionally elect each "megadistrict's" representatives. As people experience the benefits it offers, the number of people voting with RCV has been skyrocketing, with more than 20 million Americans living in communities that use RCV. And it’s being adopted in more and more places. In California, San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland , and San Leandro have been using RCV for over a decade. The people of Albany started using Proportional RCV in 2022, and Eureka, Ojai , and Redondo Beach voted for RCV and will begin using it in upcoming elections. Maine and Alaska use RCV for their statewide elections, and dozens of other cities around the country use it too. We’ve got a lot of data on how it performs in California, across the country, and around the world, and the evidence is strong that it makes for a more representative and effective government. Spread the Word Frequently Asked Questions Why change the way we vote? Changing from single-choice voting to Ranked Choice Voting makes elections fairer, less divisive, more representative, and less expensive than running multiple elections to select a majority winner. Ranked Choice Voting has been in the United States for decades. There are no barriers to Ranked Choice Voting under federal law or the U.S. Constitution and it is widely used in cities and states and across the political spectrum. How does the vote tallying work? In single-winner races, if no one gets more than 50%, RCV allows an “instant run-off” to occur automatically. After everyone’s first-choice votes are counted, whoever is in last place is eliminated and votes are counted again. If your first choice gets eliminated, your vote goes to your next choice. It’s just like an in-person runoff: if your favorite doesn’t make the runoff, you have to choose someone else – your next favorite. But with RCV, it’s instant, without the expense and hassle of voting again. Rinse and repeat until someone gets a majority (more than 50%) of the votes. In multi-winner races (for example, an at-large city council), Proportional Ranked Choice Voting works like single-winner RCV but with one key addition: instead of one candidate winning with a majority of the votes, several candidates win with smaller shares. It’s straightforward for voters: Rank candidates in order of choice. Voters can rank as many candidates as they want, without fear that doing so will hurt their favorite candidate’s chances. Ranking backup choices will never hurt a voter’s favorite candidate. Candidates who receive a certain share of votes — the “threshold” — are elected based on the number of open seats. For example, if there are three seats to fill, any candidate who gets more than 25% of the vote earns a seat. Excess votes (those above the threshold) are then counted for the voters’ second choices, ensuring that no votes are wasted. After excess votes are distributed, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. Votes for the defeated candidate are then allocated to voters’ second choice candidate. Rinse and repeat until all seats are filled. Why should I rank the candidates? More choice = more power! Even if your favorite candidate doesn’t win, you still have a say in who’s elected. You can vote your conscience without worrying that you’re wasting your vote or helping a candidate you don’t like. Ranking a 2nd, 3rd, etc. choice will never hurt your favorite candidate. Do I have to rank all the candidates? It’s up to you how many candidates to rank. Your vote is most powerful if you rank multiple candidates, but your vote will still count if you only rank one or a couple of candidates. If you choose not to rank multiple, you have no backup choices when your top candidate(s) are defeated. But your vote still counts if you only rank one candidate. It’s up to you how many candidates to rank. Your vote is most powerful if you rank multiple candidates, but your vote will still count if you only rank one or two candidates. If you choose not to rank multiple candidates, you have no backup choices if your top candidate(s) are defeated. (It’s the same as abstaining from a runoff and staying home). But your vote still counts if you only rank one candidate, for as long as they remain “alive” in the race. What can you do to get RCV across California? Good Get on the list No commitment — get emails (and texts, if you want) with upcoming events and action alerts. Join the Mailing List Better Help fund our work Increase your impact! A financial commitment of any size significantly increases the weight of your support. Donate Now Best Get Involved Join an intro meeting and find out how you can volunteer and bring RCV to your area and the entire state. RSVP for Intro Meeting

Discover how Ranked Choice Voting can transform elections in California. Support a better democracy today. Let’s Make Every Voice Count with Ranked Choice Voting Show your support for better elections SIGN THE PETITION We’re building a more representative, less polarized democracy through Ranked Choice Voting (RCV), powered by Californians like you. What is RCV? It's an upgrade to our elections that lets you rank candidates in order of preference, giving you more voice. If your top pick doesn't win, your vote moves to your next choice — simple, fair, and more democratic. Depolarizes RCV makes campaigns more positive because candidates look for common ground with their opponents instead of mudslinging. Diversifies RCV makes our government more representative. More women, people of color, and 3rd party candidates run and win in RCV elections. Decreases Cost Using RCV, we can consolidate two elections into one, which saves taxpayer money and increases voter participation. Learn How RCV Works RCV by the Numbers 2x as likely to say campaigns were a lot less negative than other recent contests. Voters surveyed in RCV cities were nearly 1.8x RCV increases meaningful voter participation by making the general election the one that actually decides the winner, when as many Californians participate compared to primaries. San Francisco taxpayers save $2.8M every election year by using RCV instead of multiple low-turnout elections. Our Strategy to Win Cal RCV aims for more choice, better representation, and less divisiveness in government at all levels. Our pragmatic approach starts with expanding Ranked Choice Voting for local California elections, expanding to state and federal elections, and ultimately building support for national adoption of Proportional RCV . Cities & Counties With 27 local wins in a row, it's proven that voters want Ranked Choice Voting. Cal RCV volunteers work in communities around the state to get RCV passed. Join an Intro Meeting to find out how to bring RCV to your city! Statewide With increasing usage of Ranked Choice Voting in local elections, awareness and support continue to grow. Cal RCV will introduce a statewide ballot measure for federal and state-level offices in an upcoming election cycle. National With the largest state enjoying the benefits of RCV, support for the Fair Representation Act will grow, bringing Proportional RCV to the U.S. House and creating a more inclusive and deliberative government that respects and empowers all voices. HELP US EXPAND RCV IN CALIFORNIA Donate Support for RCV "I represent 3 cities that have been using RCV successfully for years and I can tell you that it works because it gives people confidence that their vote matters... Our entire democratic system depends on it." Barbara Lee, former Congresswoman and current Mayor of Oakland What can you do to help? Good Get on the list No commitment — get emails with upcoming events and action alerts. Join our Mailing List Better Help fund our work Increase your impact! A donation of any size truly helps our work. Donate Now Best Meet Us & Get Involved Join an upcoming Zoom to learn more about RCV and how you can get involved. Join an Intro Meeting

Discover how Cal RCV is revolutionizing California elections with ranked-choice voting. Join us in shaping a more representative democracy. Learn About Cal RCV We are a diverse, nonpartisan group of reformers that believes upgrading our elections with Ranked Choice Voting is one of the most effective things We The People can do to address many of the seemingly intractable problems we face. As the biggest and most diverse state in the U.S. and an economic powerhouse, California is teeming with opportunity and potential. It is also faced with some incredible challenges, from drought and wildfires to recurring budget shortfalls, from people living in poverty to an affordability crisis that impacts nearly everyone. To solve these challenges, we need a more effective and more representative government at the local, state, and federal levels. Adopting Ranked Choice Voting across California will help make that happen. Our North Star Goal Get Ranked Choice Voting passed for all California statewide elections, including: Assembly and Senate Executive Offices (Governor, etc.) Federal Offices (House, Senate, and President) Vision A California where all residents feel represented and heard. Mission To expand the use of Ranked Choice Voting to all Californians to ensure we have a greater voice in our democracy. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Join a Zoom Intro Meeting Our Structure Founded in 2021, Cal RCV operates through two affiliated non-profit public benefit corporations: the California RCV Institute Inc, a 501(c)(3), and the California RCV Coalition Inc, a 501(c)(4). The Cal RCV Institute's 501(c)(3) designation lets it use tax-deductible contributions to carry out our educational goals. The Cal RCV Coalition's 501(c)(4) designation allows it to advocate for legislation and influence the decisions of our elected leaders through lobbying. The Coalition is also registered as a recipient committee with the California Fair Political Practices Commission (ID# 1457117), allowing us to fundraise and run campaigns for RCV ballot measures across the state. Contributions made to the California RCV Coalition are not tax-deductible but allow us to do more to get RCV adopted.

Find out how you can take action to make elections more fair, less divisive, and more representative across California. Become a Volunteer Fixing politics starts with Ranked Choice Voting. Getting RCV in more places starts with you. You can help our elected officials find more common ground to solve problems, respect the interests of all Americans, and practice democracy for the people. Volunteering with Cal RCV is a high-impact way for you to help improve our elections in the Golden State! Education and Outreach - Tabling or Canvassing This is our most effective and critical activity. Volunteers work in teams or individually. Sign up to do educational outreach events like tabling at a farmers market or canvassing in a local neighborhood. Don’t know how to canvass or table? No problem! We have online training and support to get you up to speed. Location(s): Time: Volunteer Team: Your Community 2+ hours/month Outreach I'm interested! Event Finder Research events and prime canvassing locations in your community and other communities so that we can maintain a calendar of dates/times/locations to host canvassing events. Location(s): Time: Volunteer Team: Online 2 hrs/month Outreach I'm interested! Volunteer Onboarder Call new volunteers to learn about what they love to do and how they would like to volunteers, then connect them with the best volunteer opportunities to fit their interests. Location(s): Time: Volunteer Team: Online 1 hr/week Outreach I'm interested! Media Volunteers Spread the Cal RCV word on social media or write letters to the editor to support ranked choice voting. Use educational materials from Cal RCV to create your posts and letters. Location(s): Time: Volunteer Team: Online 2 hours/month Communications I'm interested! Do you have special skills? Let us know. We love the many talents of our volunteers. (Admin skills, technical skills, presentation skills, fundraising skills, etc) Location(s): Time: Volunteer Team: Statewide Variable Variable I'm interested! Volunteer Opportunities NOT SURE WHERE TO START? Come to one of our intro meetings to learn more about R anked Choice Voting, our organization, and how you can get involved! RSVP for Intro Meeting Cal RCV Merch Order t-shirts and other Cal RCV-branded items to show your support and look spiffy when you're volunteering! Get Cal RCV Merch 1/1

Sign up as a supporter of the California Ranked Choice Voting Coalition to make our elections better. Become a supporter Ranked Choice Voting upgrades our voting system to reduce divisiveness, increase diversity, and save money. Sign up as a supporter Signing up helps the movement for better elections in many ways: Shows your suppo rt for fixing our broken elections Politicians pay more attention to large movements Funders give more money to popular causes You'll be invited to Cal RCV meetings and events You'll be able to take action!

Join City of Anitoch volunteers and supporters to help bring ranked choice voting to the City of Antioch elections. City of Antioch One of the most basic principles of democracy is majority rule, but guess what? Antioch does not have majority rule! Join City of Antioch volunteers and supporters of ranked choice voting and help bring RCV to our local elections Single-choice voting is breaking our country, our state, and our cities. It incentivizes negative campaigning that further divides us, reduces representation with low-turnout primaries and runoffs, and costs taxpayers millions in unnecessary election costs. Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) is a simple but powerful improvement. RCV lets you rank candidates 1st, 2nd, 3rd and so on instead of being forced to choose just one. If your first choice can’t win, your vote automatically transfers to your second choice. Let's work together to bring RCV to our local elections in the City of Antioch for various city and county elections! Good Get on the list No commitment — get emails (and texts, if you want) with upcoming events and action alerts. Subscribe Better Help fund our work Increase your impact! A financial commitment of any size significantly increases the weight of your support. Donate Now Best Meet Us & Get Involved Join an upcoming Zoom to learn more about RCV and how you can get involved (it's easy!). Join an Intro Meeting

Apply as a community organizer to bring RCV to Sacramento! Job Opportunities Community Field Organizer (Sacramento) Cal RCV is a nonprofit organization that works to make our elections more representative by promoting Ranked Choice Voting (RCV). We are hiring on behalf of our local partner, Better Ballot Sacramento . Job Title: Ranked Choice Voting Community Field Organizer Location: Sacramento County Position Type: Part-time, Temporary Salary Range: $36 per hour or equivalent salary rate; part-time, for 22-44 weeks; exact details to be determined in collaboration with the successful candidate. Start Date: ASAP Application Deadline: Open until filled; Apply by sending resume and cover letter to hr@calrcv.org Position Overview After building a community coalition endorsing RCV and with significant support on the Council and a database of supporters and potential volunteers, we are seeking a dynamic and experienced Community Organizer to scale up our grassroots organizing efforts. The Community Field Organizer will be responsible for developing a field plan and coordination of all volunteer efforts leading to getting RCV on the 2026 ballot and driving strategic outreach to hit our voter education, and mobilization goals (signatures if needed) ahead of key milestones for the November 2026 ballot. Tasks Immediately implement a planned targeted simple messaging campaign for the City and County using the Better Ballot Sacramento database (1000) and existing coalition members (see BetterBallotSacramento.org) and provided campaign software tools. Engage and “onboard” untapped volunteers and new volunteers to continue voter education on the benefits of RCV for Sacramento via tabling, events, etc. Organize online training for volunteers (BBS can provide the training) Set up and/or support new RCV education and outreach, including tabling, clipboarding, community events, house parties, and other strategies. Identify and schedule BBS in person or ZOOM presentations to community organizations, neighborhood associations, etc. with a priority of underserved communities. (BBS will provide presenters and has a list of stakeholders to contact.) Qualifications Required: 3–5 years of experience in community organizing, field campaigning, or electoral advocacy Strong understanding of Sacramento’s political and community landscape, with existing local relationships Proven success in leading canvassing and/or petition campaigns Experience working with communities of color, immigrants, youth, or other underrepresented groups Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills Comfort using organizing tech and tools and social media Preferred: Experience in coalition-based advocacy or local ballot measure campaigns Fluency in Spanish or another major language Passion for electoral reform, democracy, structural equity, representative govt. This position could lead to a full time position managing the 2026 Campaign. About Better Ballot Sacramento Better Ballot Sacramento is a growing coalition of civic and political groups supporting Ranked Choice Voting for Sacramento City and County elected officials with the goal of charter amendments on the November 2026 ballot. Better Ballot Sacramento was launched in Dec 2023 by the League of Women Voters of Sacramento County, a nonpartisan nonprofit to educate voters about Ranked Choice Voting and build support for Charter amendments put on the ballot by the Sacramento City Council and the Board of Supervisors. About the California RCV Institute & California RCV Coalition Cal RCV is made up of two affiliated nonprofit organizations: the California RCV Institute, a 501(c)(3) that works to make our elections more representative by educating voters, elected officials, candidates for office, and election administrators about Ranked Choice Voting (RCV). Together with the California RCV Coalition, an affiliated 501(c)(4), which promotes RCV by lobbying and campaigning for ballot measures enacting RCV. We seek board members who will bring their talents, passion for democracy, respect and empathy for others, and their commitment to lifting up the voices of all Californians. Learn more about us . Does this sound like you? If you are interested in this opportunity please email hr@calrcv.org with your resume and cover letter and we’ll be in touch to get to know you better!

Apply to serve on the Board of Directors of the California RCV Institute (501(c)(3)) or California RCV Coalition (501(c)(4)) nonprofit organizations. Board of Directors Application Position Description Cal RCV is a nonprofit organization that works to make our elections more representative by promoting Ranked Choice Voting (RCV). We seek board members who will bring their talents, passion for democracy, respect and empathy for others, and commitment to lifting up the voices of all Californians. What you can expect as a Cal RCV board member: You will work with a dynamic group of like-minded leaders who are working to improve democracy in California. You will play a key part in supporting and evaluating the executive director (or hiring when applicable), ensuring that the organization always has strong leadership and vision. You will work together with other board members to develop plans and strategies that will shape the programming, finance, and overall direction of the organization. You will learn and share knowledge about Ranked Choice Voting and the elections landscape of California. You’ll help ensure that the organization has adequate financial resources to carry out our mission. This includes an annual “give or get” fundraising goal of at least $500. You will play a key role in overseeing the organization’s activities so that the board and staff are always compliant with any appropriate legal and ethical requirements. You can expect to volunteer 6-8 hours per month toward board activities. You will serve at least 1 full-year term on the board (up to a maximum of four terms). You have experience with one or more of the following: Networking relationships with electeds and/or nonprofit leaders in California Fundraising (for nonprofits and/or campaigns) Political & campaign strategy Grassroots movement building Volunteer organizing About the California RCV Institute & California RCV Coalition Cal RCV is made up of two affiliated nonprofit organizations: the California RCV Institute, a 501(c)(3) that works to make our elections more representative by educating voters, elected officials, candidates for office, and election administrators about Ranked Choice Voting (RCV). Together with the California RCV Coalition, an affiliated 501(c)(4), which promotes RCV by lobbying and campaigning for ballot measures enacting RCV. We seek board members who will bring their talents, passion for democracy, respect and empathy for others, and their commitment to lifting up the voices of all Californians. Learn more about us . Does this sound like you? If you are interested in this opportunity please complete the application below and we’ll be in touch to get to know you better! Cal RCV Board Member Application First Name Last Name Email Phone ZIP Code Are you interested in joining our 501c3 board, 501c4 board, or either? Choose an option Please briefly describe your academic and professional background, and other relevant experience. Why do you seek a position on the board? Please briefly outline the specific skills you bring, or contributions you hope to make, to the board. Have you served on any nonprofit boards now or in the past? If so, which one(s)? Please provide your LinkedIn profile or upload your resume/CV. LinkedIn Profile Upload Resume Upload file (Max 15MB) APPLY Thanks for applying! We'll be in touch with you within 48 hours.

Fund our educational efforts to engage voters, elected officials, and diverse communities about Ranked Choice Voting. Help us spread the word about Ranked Choice Voting. Your donation powers the Cal RCV Institute's ability to educate vo ters, elected officials, candidates, and election administrators about Ranked Choice Voting. And when people learn about RCV, they overwhelmingly support it. The movement to expand Ranked Choice Voting across California is sustained by individual donors like you. Every dollar helps, but a monthly recurring contribution turbocharges our effectiveness because it lets us plan our budget throughout the year. The California RCV Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, making donations made on this page fully tax-deductible. To donate via a donor-advised fund or via an employer matching program, refer to our tax ID (EIN) 26-0560601. Some organizations may still have a previous name, Fairvote California, on file. Donate ( t ax-deductible) Frequently Asked Questions The California RCV Institute Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Federal Tax ID #26-0560601). Gifts to the Cal RCV Institute are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. What will my donation support? Your donation supports our small team of staff and our operational costs. We are a very lean organization with no offices and minimal overhead, so every dollar you contribute goes a long way to supporting our mission of educating California voters, elected officials, candidates, and election administrators about the benefits of Ranked Choice Voting. Is my donation secure? Your donation payment information is processed via EveryAction, a secure donation platform used by thousands of nonprofits. Can I change or cancel my recurring donation? Yes, you can view your giving history, edit payment info, and change or cancel donations via the Cal RCV donor portal . Are there other ways to give? Yes! If you'd like to donate from a Donor Advised Fund, you can direct donations to the California RCV Institute, Federal Tax ID #26-0560601. California RCV Institute's mailing address is 30025 Alicia Parkway Suite 699, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677. Other questions? Reach out to our fundraising team at fundraising@calrcv.org .

Explore how proportional representation with PRCV can reshape LA elections. Learn benefits of proportional representation here. PRCV for LA Los Angeles deserves a fairer, more inclusive democracy. With just 15 councilmembers for nearly four million residents, too many voices are left out. By moving to multi-seat districts elected with Proportional Ranked Choice Voting (PRCV), every voter gains more choice, more voice, and real representation. Proportional Representation in Los Angeles: The Case for PRCV Los Angeles is ready for a better way to represent its people. Across the country, parties are waging trench-warfare over maps, but here’s the truth: the problem isn’t only who draws the lines—it’s winner-take-all elections. In a city as diverse as LA, single-seat districts turn politics into “if you win, I lose,” concentrating power and leaving too many voices out. We can do better. Imagine larger, multi-seat City Council districts where three representatives are elected at once using Proportional Ranked Choice Voting (PRCV). The people of LA get fairer representation, with communities winning seats in line with their share of the population. Voter power rises, too. Today, 30–49% of votes can be wasted. In Portland’s 2024 PRCV election, 87% of voters helped elect at least one candidate. Because rankings prevent “spoilers,” people can back their true favorites without fear of aiding someone they oppose. Campaigns get better. Candidates have incentives to earn second- and third-choice support, building coalitions instead of tearing each other down. PRCV also strengthens accountability and trust: power is diffused across multiple representatives per district and women and candidates of color aren’t dismissed as “spoilers.” And it saves money with one decisive election instead of costly runoffs, stretching both campaign dollars and public financing. This is achievable. LA County’s voting equipment can be updated for ranked ballots, and voter education will make the change intuitive. If you want a City Hall that looks like LA, listens to LA, and works for LA, now’s the moment. Join us to champion multi-seat districts with PRCV—fair rules that invite everyone in and reduce zero-sum politics. Updates 10/16/25 PRCV presentation to the LA Charter Reform Commission Video: Cal RCV testimony Presentation Slides PRCV Background Document 9/26/25 PRCV presentation to the LA Charter Reform Commission Video: Cal RCV testimony Presentation Slides PRCV Background Document Video: The only way to make democracy truly representative Video: How does Single Transferable Vote Work in Portland, Oregon?