RANKED CHOICE VOTING (RCV)

How to vote in a Ranked Choice Voting election

Voters rank the candidates in order of preference; 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and so on. If a candidate earns a majority of first choices, they win, just like any other election. If not, there is an instant runoff; the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and voters who picked that candidate as their top choice will have their vote automatically count for their second choice. This process continues until a candidate gets a majority of votes.

How should you mark your ballot?

  • Rank candidates in order of preference — rank your favorite as your 1st choice, your 2nd favorite as your 2nd choice, etc.

  • You do not have to rank all candidates for your ballot to count.

  • Rank each candidate only once.

  • Ranking only one candidate is fine, but ranking additional candidates ensures your opinion is still heard in case your favorite can’t win.

In the example ballot below, if you want Rust to win, rank them as your 1st choice. If you really don't want Plum or Violet to get elected, leave them blank. Rank the rest in order of preference.

You do not have to rank everyone.

Other ranked choice voting guides & presentations

FairVote

League of Women Voters Oakland