Join Ventura County volunteers and supporters to help bring ranked choice voting to Ventura County elections. Ventura County Join Ventura County 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 Ventura County 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

California District 16 Primary Would Have Benefited From Ranked Choice Voting May 17, 2024 In close races like this, it’s especially important that every vote has its maximum impact – yet just 38% of voters selected Liccardo or Low. That means 62% of voters aren’t represented in the results. If California used RCV, that 62% of voters could have ranked backup choices on their ballots and consolidated around a viable candidate they liked. "No matter how California runs its elections, there’s always the possibility of a razor-thin outcome and even a drawn-out count or recount – that’s okay. But in a single-choice voting with a crowded field of 11 candidates, things are more likely to get complicated, unrepresentative, and sometimes flat-out weird. Ranked choice voting would be an easy upgrade with a much more representative result. Whether RCV is used in the primary, general election, or both, it would be an improvement over the current method." Read the full blog post at https://fairvote.org/california-district-16-primary-would-have-benefited-from-ranked-choice-voting/ All News & Updates

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

Election 2025: Ranked Choice Voting Nov 6, 2025 A timely examination of how ranking candidates reshapes electoral dynamics This piece from Steven Hill explores how the rising adoption of ranked-choice voting (RCV) in U.S. jurisdictions is influencing campaign strategies, voter behavior and representation outcomes. It highlights that RCV can reduce the spoiler effect, encourage coalition-building instead of bitter polarization, and ensure winners earn broader support. For institutions like Cal RCV—which champion more inclusive and representative elections—these developments reinforce our mission to reduce extremism and increase voter voice. As RCV spreads, key questions emerge around transparency, voter education and ensuring the logistics keep pace with public expectations. Read the full discussion here: https://democracysos.substack.com/p/election-2025-ranked-choice-voting All News & Updates

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; expected 20-25 hours per week, occasionally more. 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!

Discover how Cal RCV is revolutionizing California elections with ranked-choice voting. Join us in shaping a more representative democracy. 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. Meet Our Staff & Volunteer Leadership 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 to Learn How You Can Get Involved 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.

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 .

This simple change could increase voter participation and political civility in Sacramento Apr 21, 2025 Evidence shows this method promotes political civility, supports consensus and gives voters greater choice and satisfaction. “Bringing [ranked choice voting] to Sacramento will make our elections more efficient, positive, solution-oriented and reflective of our community, benefiting candidates and voters alike." Read more at: https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/article304696926.html All News & Updates

Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - August 2024 Aug 21, 2024 Cal RCV supporters heard from Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause New York, about the RCV rollout in NYC Cal RCV's August 2024 Statewide Meeting was electric! Get updates on cities all over California that are making RCV a reality. Hear from Susan Lerner , executive director of Common Cause New York, about her electoral reform journey, the RCV rollout in NYC, and more. City-Specific Updates Included: Santa Clara County by David Newswanger Richmond by Alex Banash Oakland by Marcela Miranda-Cabllero Carlsbad by Reese Harris Redondo Beach by Tom Charron Watch the recording All News & Updates

Join local Carlsbad volunteers and supporters to help bring ranked choice voting to our elections. Carlsbad One of the most basic principles of democracy is majority rule, but guess what: Carlsbad does not have majority rule. Our city leaders can be elected with less than 50% support with the current single-choice plurality voting system. Join residents of Carlsbad and a coalition of community and electoral reform groups as we build awareness of ranked choice voting. Help bring RCV to our local elections! Single-choice plurality voting is breaking our country, our state, and our cities. It incentivizes negative campaigning that further divides us, it limits voters’ choice by motivating parties to tell candidate hopefuls it’s “not their turn,” and it seats elected officials who have less than a majority of the vote. 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. Learn more about RCV . Volunteer with Cal RCV and our coalition partners to bring RCV to our local elections in Carlsbad! RCV for Carlsbad Coalition Partners

2022 California Ranked Choice Voting Election Results Nov 11, 2022 The 2022 Midterm Election is over, and although the results are still coming in, Ranked Choice Voting was used and voted to be implemented throughout the state. The 2022 Midterm Election is over, and although the results are still coming in , Ranked Choice Voting was used and voted to be implemented throughout the state. - The Alameda County Registrar of Voters fulfilled their promises of promptly posting RCV results on the web, and continuing eliminations until two candidates remain. - Albany had a multi-winner RCV election, also known as Proportional Ranked Choice Voting (PRCV). The final winners were determined by surplus transfers. The candidates leading in the first round won. - Berkeley city council district 1, San Leandro mayor, and San Leandro council district 1 also went to multiple rounds, where the first-round leader won. All other contests in San Francisco and the East Bay were settled in the first round. - Although Eureka approved RCV via a ballot measure in 2020 , they did not use RCV in this election because the Secretary of State would not certify their voting machines for an RCV election. However, this did not make a difference because every election was a race between two or fewer candidates. - The Oakland mayoral race still has mail-in ballots being counted the latest results are here on the Official Election Site of Alameda County . As of Friday, November 11th, the race has gone 9 rounds, with 5 of the 10 candidates eliminated. Three candidates were above 10% in the first round. Also, in Oakland, the school board district 4 race had the first-round second-place candidate pull ahead and win in the second round. - Ranked choice voting had a big win in Ojai with 56% of the voters saying yes to Measure M . The Ojai Valley Democratic Club led an army of volunteers to spread the word about RCV, putting door hangers on every single household. The Ojai City Council now has the authority from the voters to adopt RCV at their discretion, and RCV could be used for their 2024 election for the first time. - Palm Desert used RCV for their election for the FIRST time! Voters used multi-winner PRCV to elect at-large city council members. Just like in Albany , the two first-round leaders are also leading in the final-round count. Full details here . RCV was enacted in 2020 via a lawsuit settlement regarding the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) and the dilution of the Latino population. - The Redondo Beach City Council unanimously approved a motion for city staff to put together language for an RCV ballot measure. Two more key votes must occur for RCV to be adopted in Redondo Beach: In December 2022, the City Council must approve the language and refer the measure to the ballot The voters of Redondo Beach must approve the measure at their upcoming March 2023 election If you're interested in getting involved with Ranked Choice Voting in California, sign up to volunteer here or consider making a donation . All News & Updates

Some RCV Opponents Show Partisan Stripes Apr 3, 2024 Although entrenched interests on both sides of the political spectrum oppose RCV, election-deniers present a rising challenge to ranked-choice reforms. After the success of RCV in Alaska and Maine, interest in the reform has grown around the country. Nevada and Oregon will have referendums on RCV this year, and dozens of cities are considering adopting it. Bills to implement RCV have bipartisan support in Georgia, Virginia, and Wisconsin, and dozens of cities are already using RCV in local elections. But the movement for RCV is running into headwinds around the country, with five states banning any city or county government from adopting RCV, and at least six other states considering similar measures (see RCV Around the Nation above). The source of this opposition is not surprising: the same folks who have sown distrust in the 2020 presidential election are undermining RCV. Groups with Orwellian names like Honest Elections Project (HEP) and Election Integrity Network (EIN) are at the forefront of the backlash. HEP was founded by Leonard Leo, the largely unknown man behind the U.S. judiciary’s shift to the right. HEP Director Jason Snead authored “The Case Against Ranked-Choice Voting: How George Soros and Other Billionaires Use a ‘Dark Money’ Empire to Transform America.” In February, HEP testified against Wisconsin’s bipartisan RCV bill in committee hearings. EIN was also busy in Wisconsin, distributing anti-RCV talking points to MAGA activists. EIN activists have played key roles in driving grassroots opposition to bipartisan pro-RCV measures in Virginia, Georgia, and Illinois. Other right-wing organizations are also involved in the anti-RCV movement. The Heritage Foundation is holding grassroots events in Oklahoma, Georgia, and Arizona, and urging activists to pressure lawmakers to oppose RCV in Texas, Utah, and Georgia. Last year the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) put out a model bill banning RCV for state legislatures to copy. Turning Point Action got the Republican National Committee to adopt an anti-RCV resolution. Why have these groups all decided to attack RCV? Publicly they will criticize RCV because it is favored by progressive donors, particularly George Soros. They also claim that the process is so confusing that voters are disenfranchised: “RCV makes it harder to vote, risks longer lines at the polls, and discourages participation,” HEP’s Snead told Rolling Stone. In fact, post-election polls show that voters overwhelmingly understand and like the system . Privately, these right-wing leaders acknowledge that ranked choice voting threatens the MAGA political project. In June of 2023, Snead told Real America’s Voice network, “I think that their calculus is you change the dynamic of elections … make it harder for conservatives to get elected without that party primary and then of course you displace the parties themselves.” He clarified that he was referring to “outside and independent expenditure groups funded by folks like George Soros.” Arizona Republican Party Chair Gina Swoboda told a party event in August 2023 that “the entire purpose of ranked choice voting is … force the candidates to run for the middle like they are in a general election, and then they will not take the positions that we need them to commit to.” Alaska’s 2022 elections, the first since voters narrowly adopted RCV in 2020, confirm these fears. In the Senate race, moderate Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski was re-elected despite Trump’s attempt to punish her for supporting his impeachment after January 6. Murkowski prevailed over the Trump-backed challenger by winning the second-round votes of the 10% who voted Democratic in the first round. Alaskans also elected Democrat Mary Peltola in an August special election and again in November when she gained enough second-round votes from voters who supported moderate Republican Nick Begich, who finished third to defeat MAGA candidate Sarah Palin. In 2022, 91% of Americans lived in heavily partisan districts, where the difference between the winner and losing party was more than 10%. Under this gerrymandered system, MAGA Republicans have only to win a plurality in the primary election before coasting through the general election. For example, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) won 36% percent of the vote in the 2016 primary and hasn’t faced a serious primary challenger since. (The same phenomenon applies to the left end of the political spectrum.) “It’s not really an issue of ‘honest elections’ or ‘election integrity,’” explains Rick Hasen, the Director of the Safeguarding Democracy Project at UCLA’s Law School. “It’s a debate about the best way to translate voters’ preferences into election winners…. the reason for the fear of ranked choice voting is that it could help elect more Republican moderates rather than more extreme Republicans.” This article was adapted from this piece at Documented . All News & Updates