Poll on Ranked Voting Amendment for Michigan Constitution

All eyes were in Nevada, a critical swing state voting on whether to adopt ranked-choice voting for state and congressional races; Alaska and Maine are the only states that already do this. Ballot Question 3 leads by 3 percentage points as of publication, with remaining ballots likely to lean in its favor. (Update: The Nevada Independent called the referendum in favor of Question 3 on Nov. 11.)

Don’t Vote for Just One: Ranked Choice Voting Is Gaining Ground

In ranked choice elections, voters rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate is the top preference for more than 50% of voters, an instant runoff process starts. The candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated. Those votes are then distributed to the candidates listed as a second preference. The process continues until one candidate has gained majority support.

In some communities, the counting process can take hours. In other states that rely on mail-in voting, the process can take days or weeks.

Nevada voters approved a ballot initiative to adopt the voting method statewide. But because it would amend the state constitution, voters must approve the ballot initiative again in 2024 before it’s officially adopted. If approved, voters in 2026 will be able to vote in an open primary. The five candidates of any political party with the most votes would advance to a ranked choice general election.

That would open the primary ballot to the 38% of Nevadans who are not registered as Democrats or Republicans.

“People are frustrated; people feel like their votes don’t matter and more and more of their elected officials are beholden to the parties and not the people,” said Mike Draper, communications director for Nevada Voters First, a political action committee that is leading the effort to amend the state constitution.

Trapper Gus wrote:

Don’t Vote for Just One: Ranked Choice Voting Is Gaining Ground

In ranked choice elections, voters rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate is the top preference for more than 50% of voters, an instant runoff process starts. The candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated. Those votes are then distributed to the candidates listed as a second preference. The process continues until one candidate has gained majority support.

In some communities, the counting process can take hours. In other states that rely on mail-in voting, the process can take days or weeks.

Nevada voters approved a ballot initiative to adopt the voting method statewide. But because it would amend the state constitution, voters must approve the ballot initiative again in 2024 before it’s officially adopted. If approved, voters in 2026 will be able to vote in an open primary. The five candidates of any political party with the most votes would advance to a ranked choice general election.

That would open the primary ballot to the 38% of Nevadans who are not registered as Democrats or Republicans.

“People are frustrated; people feel like their votes don’t matter and more and more of their elected officials are beholden to the parties and not the people,” said Mike Draper, communications director for Nevada Voters First, a political action committee that is leading the effort to amend the state constitution.

https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2022/12/07/dont-vote-for-just-one-ranked-choice-voting-is-gaining-ground/

https://michiganchronicle.com/2022/12/09/is-ranked-choice-voting-the-system-for-future-elections-in-michigan/

A ranked-choice voting proposal on Kalamazoo ballots has unofficially passed, but it will not take effect unless state law changes to allow for it.

The ballot measure, which aims to allow people to rank their candidates in order of preference, was approved with 6,486 yes votes (71%) and 2,653 no votes (29%), with all precincts reporting. All absentee ballots have been counted, too.

Ann Arbor and Ferndale have previously passed measures to make way for ranked-choice voting in their cities and Royal Oak and East Lansing were both voting on it, as well, on Tuesday.

After successfully passing proposals in three localities, Zabawa said Rank MI Vote aims to have a statewide proposal on the ballot in 2026.