Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) eliminates the spoiler effect by providing voters with the opportunity to rank their preferences among multiple candidates. The California RCV Coalition is working to make elections better across the Golden State.

What is Ranked Choice Voting?

RCV is a simple upgrade to the way we vote. Voters rank candidates in order of preference, marking their first choice, second choice, and so on. When the votes are counted, if no candidate receives an outright majority (more than 50% of first-choice votes), the candidate with the least number of first-choice votes is eliminated. However, instead of those votes being wasted, they are redistributed to the remaining candidates based on the voters' second-choice preferences.

This process of elimination and vote redistribution continues until one candidate achieves a majority and is declared the winner. By allowing voters to express their preferences beyond a single candidate, RCV ensures that their voices are fully heard and their backup choices are taken into account.

RCV is already in use around the U.S., and supporters are working to ensure more states, including California, start using it.

How does RCV eliminate the spoiler effect?

The spoiler effect is mitigated in RCV because voters can support their preferred third-party or independent candidates as their first choice without fear of wasting their votes. If their first-choice candidate does not have enough support to win, their votes are instantly transferred to their second-choice candidate, increasing the chances of a more preferred candidate ultimately winning.

In traditional voting systems, voters often feel compelled to vote strategically for a major-party candidate they may not fully support to prevent a less favorable candidate from winning. This strategic voting discourages voters from exploring other options. RCV breaks this cycle by giving voters the freedom to vote sincerely for their preferred candidate without risking the election outcome.

If you want more choice while removing the risk of 3rd party spoilers, sign the petition supporting Ranked Choice Voting today.