Read media coverage and key updates about Ranked Choice Voting in California. RCV News Select Tags to find the latest news for your location. Los Angeles News Oakland Op-Ed Press Redondo Beach Research Richmond Sacramento Santa Clara County Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Oct 21, 2025 Cal RCV Updates Read More Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California Cal RCV Load More

Read media coverage and key updates about Ranked Choice Voting in California. News & Updates 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 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. May 17, 2024 Op-Ed FairVote California District 16 Primary Would Have Benefited From Ranked Choice Voting 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. May 1, 2024 RCV in the News Grandview Independent Richmond City Council Moves Forward with Ranked Choice Voting Ballot Measure 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. Apr 16, 2024 Op-Ed Cal RCV Ranked Choice Voting Leads to Diverse Representation for our LGBTQ+ Community Santa Clara LGBTQ+ leaders speak out Apr 3, 2024 Cal RCV Updates Cal RCV Some RCV Opponents Show Partisan Stripes Although entrenched interests on both sides of the political spectrum oppose RCV, election-deniers present a rising challenge to ranked-choice reforms. Mar 15, 2024 Op-Ed Cal RCV Is Ranked Choice Voting Confusing? Or is it as easy as 1 * 2 * 3 ? (hint: it's really easy) Load More

Politicians Are Polarized. American Voters, Not So Much. Aug 29, 2025 RCV enables ideologically complex voters to express their nuanced views An op-ed by Kristen Soltis Anderson, a Republican pollster, reveals that while elected officials have become increasingly polarized along partisan lines, three-quarters of American voters defy ideological extremes and instead hold "heterodox" views—complex combinations of positions that don't fit neatly on a traditional left-right spectrum, with 22% identifying as socially conservative but fiscally liberal, and most voters weaving together beliefs from across the political spectrum rather than adhering to a single ideological framework. The op-ed's finding that the political center is better understood as a "mind-set of openness" rather than a fixed point directly supports the case for ranked choice voting, which incentivizes candidates to build broader coalitions by seeking second-choice rankings from voters with diverse perspectives rather than appealing only to partisan bases. By eliminating the spoiler effect and allowing voters to rank candidates in order of preference, RCV enables these ideologically complex voters to express their nuanced views without strategic calculations, while encouraging candidates to campaign more positively and adopt positions that appeal across traditional partisan divides to earn rankings from supporters of other candidates. This alignment between how most voters actually think—rejecting rigid ideological sorting in favor of issue-by-issue heterodoxy—and how RCV structures electoral incentives makes ranked choice voting particularly well-suited to represent the true complexity of the American electorate and reduce the disconnect between polarized politicians and the more ideologically fluid voters they claim to represent. Read the article at https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/29/opinion/american-politics-center.html All News & Updates

Ranked Choice Voting Gaining Steam Dec 1, 2022 The League of Women Voters of Alameda (LWVA) and their supporters want the option to institute RCV in Alameda to appear on the ballot in 2024. "Ranked Choice Voting has become the fastest-growing electoral reform in the nation because it ensures elected officials have the broadest range of support , and reduces political polarization and negative campaigning . Candidates are motivated to expand their base of support by asking voters whose first choice is another candidate to consider them as their second choice. It also encourages more women and racial minorities to run for office. And it saves the expense and delay of a separate runoff election when a majority mandate is required." Read the full article at: https://alamedapost.com/op-ed/ranked-choice-voting-gaining-steam/ All News & Updates

This simple change could increase voter participation and political civility in Sacramento Apr 22, 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

Doubling down on an open primary will expand voter choice in California Nov 27, 2023 “Instead, California should give more options to voters by expanding the number of candidates that advance to the general election and determine the winner using an instant runoff, also known as ranked-choice voting.” Read the full opinion piece at https://www.presstelegram.com/2023/11/27/doubling-down-on-an-open-primary-will-expand-voter-choice-in-california/ All News & Updates

Ranked choice voting is under threat in California Apr 8, 2022 "It works, it’s cost-effective, it makes for more representative government and voters like it." -- Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin The Mayors of Oakland and Berkeley write in support of Ranked Choice Voting, in the face of a bill introduced in the state Assembly seeking to ban RCV across California. (The bill subsequently failed to make it out of the Assembly Elections Committee) "California, the biggest and most diverse state, is teeming with opportunity but also is facing incredible challenges, ranging from drought to homelessness. To effectively address these problems, we need more representative government at the city, county and state levels. Here in Berkeley and Oakland, one way we’ve made that happen since 2010 is through ranked choice voting. Using this method rather than traditional voting gives us an easy-to-use system that saves money and improves voter turnout while leading to the election of more women and people of color." Read the full article at: https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/04/08/opinion-ranked-choice-voting-is-under-threat-in-california/ All News & Updates

Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - October 2025 Oct 21, 2025 Guest speakers shared insights on the PRCV rollout in Portland and updates on RCV progress in California California is ready for fairer, more representative elections—and the momentum is growing. Watch Cal RCV’s October 2025 meeting for an inside look at how Los Angeles can learn from Portland, OR. Robin Ye, a Portland city council candidate and election reform leader, shares firsthand insights on Portland’s groundbreaking use of Proportional Ranked Choice Voting (PRCV). Portland’s 2024 election was a turning point: more voters saw their ballots count, more communities earned representation, and candidates built coalitions instead of divisions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3kS3R-Kj1c Cal RCV's Executive Director, Marcela Miranda-Caballero, also connects the dots back to Los Angeles. She outlines how Portland’s success strengthens our push to get PRCV on the LA ballot in the coming years. All News & Updates

Cal RCV Strategy Meeting - June 2024 Jun 5, 2024 Guest speakers shared insights and updates on RCV progress in California and our neighbor to the north, Oregon This past Wednesday, we hosted a statewide strategy meeting with phenomenal guest speakers from Portland, OR, Richmond, Santa Clara, and Los Angeles. In case you missed it, the recording is now up on YouTube: https://youtu.be/sVAFR9FcO7g 2:30 - How Portland Oregon got Proportional Ranked Choice Voting (Sol Mora) 20:01 - Oregon's statewide ballot measure for RCV (Sol Mora) 28:32 - Richmond, CA's effort to get RCV on the ballot for Nov 2024 (Sue Wilson & Ken White) 36:27 - An update on our progress in Santa Clara County (Allie Hughes) 40:10 - The opportunity to get Proportional RCV on the ballot for 2026 in Los Angeles We were joined by Sol Mora, Advocacy Director at Portland (OR) Communities of Color. Sol was instrumental in bringing Proportional RCV to Portland and is now working on statewide RCV adoption in our neighbor to the north! California RCV activists can learn a lot from her experience building awareness and diverse coalitions to build deep community support for this important reform. Supporters also get the latest updates on Cal RCV's progress, including updates on RCV efforts in Santa Clara County, Richmond, and Los Angeles! All News & Updates

New Bay Area ranked choice voting system worked, should be California model Jan 14, 2023 State’s small cities should take note of November success in Albany’s multi-seat City Council race Albany Mayor Aaron Tiedemann penned an op-ed about the city's successful first election using Proportional Ranked Choice Voting: "Our city just elected two City Council members using a voting system new to California. The process provides a model for small cities across the state that want to diversify their governing boards without carving up their communities into tiny voting districts." Read the full article at https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/01/14/opinion-new-ranked-choice-voting-system-worked-should-be-california-model/ All News & Updates

Voter Turnout Flounders in Sacramento Primaries Nov 28, 2023 "Sacramento, California has a voter turnout problem. Turnout in its primaries is much lower than in its general elections, and the primary electorate is less representative of Sacramento’s population – underrepresenting young voters and renters. Sacramento could join other California cities, and solve this problem by consolidating its elections into a single, high-turnout contest with ranked choice voting." Our friends at FairVote published new research on the voter turnout gap in Sacramento's primaries at https://fairvote.org/voter-turnout-flounders-in-sacramento-primaries/ Learn more about the efforts to fix this primary problem using Ranked Choice Voting at http://www.betterballotsacramento.org/ All News & Updates

RCV Rocks the Vote Around the Country in 2023 Nov 9, 2023 Our friends in Michigan - Kalamazoo, East Lansing, and Royal Oak - just shouted a resounding "HECK YEAH!" to RCV this past Tuesday. Guess what? We're on fire! 🚀 Another year, another set of wins for Ranked Choice Voting (RCV)! Our friends in Michigan - Kalamazoo, East Lansing, and Royal Oak - just shouted a resounding "HECK YEAH!" to RCV this past Tuesday. Those aren't just wins; they're victory dances waiting to happen! The party doesn't stop there. The people of Minnetonka, MN rejected an effort to repeal RCV in their city, and Easthampton, MA voted to expand RCV to multi-winner city council elections! They're waving their RCV flags high, showing that this voting upgrade is not just a trend; it's a nationwide movement. And check this out - Boulder, CO just made history! They used RCV for the first time, showing that RCV is a game-changer for everyone, everywhere. For those of us who want better elections, it's not just about winning; it's about everyone getting a seat at the table. It's about making sure all voices, from all backgrounds, are heard and celebrated. That's what RCV brings to the table. Can you feel the excitement? RCV is spreading like wildfire, and it's the fastest-growing nonpartisan reform in the nation. Plus, it's on a winning streak - 27 consecutive city ballot measures and counting! Now, let's talk California. We're on a mission to bring more choice and more power to every California voter, and guess what? 2024 is going to be huge for the movement! We're working to get RCV on the ballot in cities across the state - and then get on the ballot for statewide elections! So, fellow RCV enthusiasts, let's turn up the volume on this movement! Share the excitement, be the change, and let's make sure RCV is not just a buzzword but a reality in our California communities. Sign the Petition Supporting Ranked Choice Voting in California All News & Updates