CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – If you’ve ever wanted more choice and voice at the ballot box, ranked choice voting may offer a promising path forward.
Ranked choice voting is exactly what it sounds like. Voters rank their favorite candidate first, and then mark their second choice, third choice and so on. Research shows most voters find the system easy to understand.
Charlottesville voters are currently using ranked choice voting when casting ballots in the primary election for City Council, where three Democrats are running for two seats. The city and Arlington County are so far the only two Virginia communities to use the election process. It’s also used in elections in two other states and 51 local jurisdictions across the country, according to the American Bar Association.
Sally Hudson, a Karsh Institute of Democracy practitioner fellow and former member of the Virginia House of Delegates, is the leader of Ranked Choice Virginia, the nonprofit organization that promotes the voting method in the state. (Contributed photo)…