This House would require ranked-choice voting in all U.S. federal elections.

civic

Maine and Alaska use RCV statewide. Outcomes diverge from what plurality would have produced. The procedural-fairness case is strong; the legitimacy-perception case is messier.

Background

Maine adopted RCV in 2018; Alaska in 2022. New York City uses it for mayoral primaries. The Alaska 2022 special election sent Mary Peltola (D) to Congress in a 50-50 state; Sarah Palin would have won under plurality. Polling by FairVote shows 60% voter approval after experiencing RCV, but a 2024 Massachusetts ballot measure to adopt it lost decisively. The pattern: voters who have used it like it; voters who have not are suspicious of it.

Government opens with

Plurality voting forces a two-party duopoly that suppresses real choice.

Opposition responds with

RCV results require explanation; democratic legitimacy needs results that explain themselves.