Politicians shouldn't get to pick their opponents. Read our Op-ed in the LA Times. Mar 8, 2024 Opinion: Steve Garvey’s strange win is a loss for California election reform. Here’s the solution. Read Cal RCV's and FairVote's Op-ed in the LA Times on March 8, 2024: Opinion: Steve Garvey’s strange win is a loss for California election reform. Here’s the solution "Why did the Burbank Democrat spend a small fortune boosting Garvey’s name recognition and blanketing the airwaves with ads that touted the former first baseman’s conservative credentials? You might call it a squeeze play: Schiff wanted to keep his two closest Democratic competitors out of the fall race, and he succeeded. Garvey claimed the second-highest vote total in the top-two primary, while Democratic Reps. Katie Porter of Irvine and Barbara Lee of Oakland finished in third and fourth, leaving them out of the running. This is a classic example of a problem that could be solved by ranked-choice voting, a tested, nonpartisan reform that discourages this sort of gamesmanship and more accurately represents what a majority of voters want." 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

There's only one way to fix gerrymandering (and it's not through the courts) May 7, 2023 Single-member districts are uniquely susceptible to gerrymandering; proportional multi-member districts make the practice prohibitively hard. "Some current solutions to the gerrymandering problem do help. The four states that use independent commissions, for instance, have mostly brought partisan gerrymandering to heel. But the solutions are imperfect. For example, elections in those states are generally not more competitive : Safe districts remain pervasive. California, for instance, which has mostly eliminated partisan gerrymandering, features only a handful of competitive districts (out of 52), and still delivers substantially more seats to Democrats than their statewide popular vote gives them due. As more partisans sort themselves geographically, with red voters in more rural areas and blue ones in more urban ones, single-member districts inevitably generate more safe districts. The underlying problem—unfairly advantaging one party over another—persists. “Unintentional gerrymandering ,” as some political scientists call it. As long as the U.S. retains single-member districting, gerrymandering, intentional or not, is here to stay." Cal RCV supports multi-member districts with Proportional Ranked Choice Voting for the California Senate and Assembly. Read the full piece at https://thehill.com/homenews/3992810-theres-only-one-way-to-fix-gerrymandering-and-its-not-through-the-courts/ All News & Updates

Learn about the people that power California's Ranked Choice Voting movement -- a diverse group of advocates working to bring RCV to all of California. Leadership Marcela Miranda-Prieto Executive Director Jim Bartell Board Member Guy Cammilleri Board Member Tom Charron Board Member Kate De Jong Board Member Rey Lopez-Calderon Board Member June Genis Board Member Amari Mcgaha Board Member Jessica Montgomery Board Member Andrea St. Julian Board Member Arash Sayadi Board Member Althea Skinner Board Member David Wilner Board Member Volunteers Cal RCV is powered by the passion of hundreds of volunteers across the Golden State. Here are just a few. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Join a Zoom Intro Meeting

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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

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

The Cure for Political Extremism in the US with Tom Charron Nov 8, 2022 Solutions From The Multiverse interviews one of the co-founders of Cal RCV, Tom Charron *Featuring Tom Charron from CalRCV GO VOTE. Politics in the US has gotten more and more extreme over the past few years. A complex mix of changes in class, laws, technology, and the media have created a witches' brew for political extremism. The January 6th insurrection and the recent assassination attempt on Nancy Pelosi underscore this new brand of violent political extremism. Rank Choice Voting (RCV) is one way many experts suggest we can slow down, stop, and even reverse this trend in extremism. RCV supporters also claim the voting rule change would eliminate "spoiler votes" and open up all elections to third-party candidates. To understand RCV more, in this episode of SFM, Scot and Braus interviewed Tom Charron the cofounder of CalRCV , the organization fighting for Rank Choice Voting in California. The solution this week is not RCV itself; instead, the gang explores some potential out-of-the-box ways to spread RCV across the state and the country. == Listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts All News & Updates

Bay Area should embrace ranked-choice voting movement Nov 16, 2022 System strengthens the principle of majority rule and discourages negative campaigning The San Jose Mercury News Editorial Board writes: "Ranked-choice voting carries multiple advantages, especially in primary elections that yield low voter turnout and consistently hurt minority candidates running for office. It also gives voters greater say in who is elected. The current system works fine when only two candidates are on the ballot. But in an election with multiple candidates, which often occurs in a primary election, a candidate can win with only 20%-30 % of the vote. That means a majority of voters did not choose the winner. Too often that favors extremist candidates and/or candidates who engage in negative campaigning." Read the full article at: https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/11/16/editorial-ranked-choice-voting-santa-clara-county/ All News & Updates

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 .

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

Richmond City Council Moves Forward with Ranked Choice Voting Ballot Measure May 1, 2024 Mayor Eduardo Martinez said the ranked-choice voting system would ensure that Richmond voters are heard and that elections are decided by its residents, not corporations and special interest groups. "The Richmond City Council advanced a proposed ranked choice ballot measure to be added to the 2024 General Election ballot after a presentation at a special meeting Tuesday night. Marcela Miranda-Caballero, California Ranked Choice Voting Executive Director, said instant runoff voting has become the fastest-growing non-partisan voting reform in the nation, with more than 11 million voters having voted with ranked ballots in the US since 2004. Rank choice proponents say the process will lead to more representative and equitable outcomes with more women and candidates of color elected. “In the Bay Area, there are four cities that currently have 61 percent of their elected offices held by people of color. Before [RCV] that was 38 percent,” Miranda-Caballero said. “Oakland has never elected a woman mayor in its 160-year history before [RCV]. Now that it has [RCV] it’s elected three women in a row as mayor.” Read the full article at https://www.grandviewindependent.com/council-moves-forward-with-ranked-choice-voting-ballot-measure/ All News & Updates