2020 has created an undesirable political situation for the United States. Much of the American public finds themselves in a hole where they feel forced to support candidates they don’t truly believe in. One of the biggest factors feeding this feeling is the way we cast our ballots on Election Day. As it stands right now, America uses what is known as the plurality system. The plurality system works by people picking only one candidate for a position. A candidate wins the election when they receive the most votes. While straightforward, this system has allowed a two-party system to gain a monopoly over the American political system. It is this monopoly that causes significant issues for the American voter.
According to a Pew Research report, nearly 40% of voters do not identify with either Democrats or Republicans. Yet, when these voters enter the ballot box, they are faced with choosing a Democrat or Republican. Of course, voters can vote for smaller third-party candidates. However, because the two-party system is so strong in America, many of the voters polled felt voting for a third-party candidate was the equivalent of wasting their vote. With so many people feeling trapped in the two-party system, is there a solution? Possibly.
In recent years many prominent political figures have played around with introducing ranked-choice voting on a national level. Is ranked-choice voting just another "out there" idea, or is it the silver bullet needed to end the two-party monopoly in American politics? This article will examine exactly what ranked-choice voting is and how it can play a major role in the future of American politics.
What is Ranked-Choice Voting
Ranked-choice voting sounds complicated on the surface, but in reality, it is merely a more comprehensive way to elect political officials. It allows the voter to rank all candidates from first to last rather than only choosing one. On election day, the candidate wins when they receive 50% of the vote. If no candidate has received the required majority, the candidate with the lowest amount of votes is removed from the ballot at the end of election night. Once the candidate is removed from the ballot, the process starts over until a candidate receives the majority.
The Pros of Ranked-Choice Voting
One of the biggest positives that would come from ranked-choice voting is the feeling that everyone’s vote counted. If your first choice candidate gets dropped from the ballot due to a lack of votes, your second choice and even your third choice will get counted next. This system ensures that nobody feels like they are wasting their vote again.
Also, ranked-choice voting will force candidates to step away from their polarized base and focus on winning votes from those in the middle. Now, most candidates only have to appeal to their base and not worry about convincing others to vote for them. However, ranked-choice voting will make candidates adopt less radical policies that are more digestible to the rest of the country. Larry David, the former director of Stanford’s Center on Democracy, says, “We are really settling on ranked-choice voting as the most promising reform to democratize and depolarize our politics.”
The Cons of Ranked-Choice Voting
The criticisms revolving around ranked-choice voting focus on the fact that it remains mainly untested on a national level. It is no secret that a lot of people are averse to change. If America were to adopt a new voting system, you run the risk of a large portion of the population not participating. Gordon Weil, a former Maine state agency head, says, “Ranked-choice voting is the flavor of the day. And it will turn out to have a bitter taste.” Also, because ranked-choice voting is new to many people, it will require a fair amount of education to get people up to speed.
Another criticism is the added cost and time it will take to determine a winner from ranked-choice voting. If a candidate does not receive the required 50% majority of the vote, the process will need to be repeated until a clear winner emerges. This process will make it highly unlikely we will know who won on election night. Also, local and state governments will have to spend more money continuously counting and recounting the vote.
The Future of Ranked-Choice Voting
One thing is for sure, the future of ranked-choice voting remains unclear in American politics. During the 2020 primary, we saw several states adopt ranked-choice voting. However, it is going to be Maine that acts as the laboratory for ranked-choice voting. In early October, Maine approved the use of ranked-choice voting for the 2020 election. This will be the first time the American people will see ranked-choice voting functioning on a national level.
Bibliography
Kambhampaty, Anna Purna. “What Is Ranked-Choice Voting? Here's How It Works.” Time, Time, 6 Nov. 2019, time.com/5718941/ranked-choice-voting/.
“Political Independents: Who They Are, What They Think.” Pew Research Center - U.S. Politics & Policy, Pew Research Center, 28 Aug. 2020, www.pewresearch.org/politics/2019/03/14/political-independents-who-they-are-what-they-think/.
Shepherd, Michael. “How Mainers Can Use Ranked-Choice Voting in the 2020 Election.” Bangor Daily News, 4 Oct. 2020, bangordailynews.com/2020/10/03/politics/how-mainers-can-use-ranked-choice-voting-in-the-2020-election/.
Weil, Gordon L. “We Don't Need Ranked-Choice Voting.” Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel, 16 Dec. 2015, www.centralmaine.com/2015/12/17/we-dont-need-ranked-choice-voting/.
Yang, Andrew, and Bill Weld. “Andrew Yang, Bill Weld: Why Ranked Choice Voting Will Improve America's Elections.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 2 Oct. 2020,
www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/10/02/why-ranked-choice-voting-improve-american-elections-yang-weld-column/5877731002/.
