Yesterday, Minnetonka voters resoundingly rejected the Charter amendment to repeal ranked choice voting by a vote of 59% to 41%, and for the second time in three years, Minnetonka voted in favor of ranked choice voting for its municipal elections, this time by an even bigger margin!
The results confirm that Minnetonka voters like ranked choice voting. It’s easy, efficient, saves money and increases voter turnout. Saving ranked choice voting is a win for the city, its voters, and our democracy. We’re grateful that Minnetonka voters showed up in an off-year election to save RCV and continue to lead on a stronger local democracy.
Minnetonka was one of four cities which voted for RCV yesterday. Three cities in Michigan –– East Lansing, Kalamazoo, and Royal Oak –– voted to adopt RCV for the first time, a sweep for RCV in the Wolverine State!
A huge THANK YOU to all of our volunteers and supporters who helped us get out the vote! You knocked doors, you called, you texted, you wrote letters to the editor, you hosted yard signs, you donated; you helped get the word out and set us on a path to victory. And thank you to all of the current and former elected officials, and candidates who supported the effort to save RCV in the city, including Gov. Tim Walz, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, Fmr. Governor Arne Carlson, State Senators Kelly Morrison and Steve Cwodzinski, State Representative Laurie Pryor, Former Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, former State Senators Ann Johnson Stewart and Steve Kelley, City Council members Kimberly Wilburn, Kissy Coakley, Brian Kirk, many of our current Hopkins school board members, and so many city council and school board candidates! See the full list of supporters HERE. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
We are very proud of how we ran our campaign, with facts, honesty and integrity. And, of course, the facts were on our side. Minnetonka’s first ranked-choice election in 2021 was a huge success: with more candidates running than ever before, more than 50% higher voter turnout, a 99.9% valid ballot rate, all while saving the cost of a low turnout city primary. And we successfully used RCV again in this year’s election with 13 candidates running for four Ward Council seats. Voter turnout in Minnetonka increased AGAIN by 50% over similar cycles, and even exceeded the high turnout in the 2021 mayoral race!
By voting NO on repeal, voters saved ranked choice voting in Minnetonka, rejected an attempt to circumvent the majority of voters in an off-year election, and reinforced the democracy reform movement in Minnesota and across the country. The future is bright for RCV in Minnesota, and we’re thrilled that Minnetonka continues to lead the way!
Sincerely,
Mary Pat & Barb
Campaign Co-Chairs
Vote NO on Repeal – Save Ranked Choice Voting in Minnetonka
