How to talk to your friends about ranked choice voting

Dear John,

On November 5, the number of states using ranked choice voting (RCV) could triple – from two to six. Any of the four states where RCV is on the ballot – Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, or Oregon – would become the most populous state to adopt the reform. Washington, DC; Oak Park and Peoria, IL; and Richmond, CA will also vote on RCV, which has now won 27 city ballot measures in a row.

If you know anyone living in those states or cities, remind them to vote for ranked choice voting!

Make a Plan to Vote

This is also a time when over 100 million Americans are thinking about (perhaps dreading) the election. Many Americans think democracy isn’t working and wonder why we don’t have more choices on the ballot – and why we’re told to fear “spoilers” and pick the lesser of two evils.

That makes it the best time to have conversations about a better way to vote – ranked choice voting! With RCV, we get better choices, majority winners, less toxic campaigns, and no more spoilers. If you want to talk with friends and family about ranked choice voting, here are some quick resources that may help:

1. Ranked Choice Voting Facts video

One of the best ways to introduce RCV is by sharing a simple video! This one is just 1 minute and 33 seconds long, covering how RCV works and how it empowers voters.

2. FairVote’s website and social channels

Our Ranked Choice Voting page is the most popular page on FairVote’s website – it contains basic information about what’s wrong with our current elections, how RCV works, and RCV’s positive impacts.

It’s also a great launchpad to other pages on our website, including this map showing all the places RCV is used! Remind your friends and family – ranked choice voting isn't some new or unproven idea; it’s already used in Alaska and Maine, and in the largest cities in seven states. It has been used for over 100 years in countries like Australia and Ireland.

You can also use FairVote’s website to find blog posts about your state and the elections you care about.

Also, consider sharing FairVote content over the next few days on your favorite social media platform:

3. Ranked Choice Voting Primer

Still haven’t convinced that discerning friend or family member who likes to dive deep into the data?

Send them our Ranked Choice Voting Primer! It covers everything from where RCV is used, to ballot data from RCV elections, to the latest academic research.

4. Try it yourself!

If you want to try ranked choice voting yourself, you can set up your own ranked choice polls at RankedVote (or RCV123) and share them with friends and family.

Use RCV to make your next pick for book club, or to choose your organization’s officers or your sports team’s captain.

Other ways to promote RCV

Finally, if you want to go the extra mile to support ranked choice voting, consider donating to FairVote. Your dollars will support our research and advocacy work to grow RCV across the nation, moving us toward an America where voting means ranking.

$25, 50, or $100 will go a long way toward fixing our politics and making our government work for all of us.

Thank you for your support, and let’s help ranked choice voting win in November!

Sincerely,
Ashley Houghton
FairVote Chief Program Officer

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