Ranked choice voting (RCV) is considered a beneficial electoral system for several reasons:
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Reduces Vote Splitting:
• Ranked choice voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, reducing the risk of vote splitting among similar candidates. This prevents candidates with minority support from winning simply because the majority vote was split among multiple contenders.
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Promotes Majority Support:
• With RCV, a candidate must secure a majority (more than 50%) of votes to win. If no candidate achieves this in the first round, the lowest-ranked candidate is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed based on second preferences. This process continues until a candidate gains a majority, ensuring broader support for the winner.
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Encourages Positive Campaigning:
• Candidates have an incentive to appeal to a wider audience, including supporters of their rivals, to earn second- or third-choice rankings. This often results in less negative campaigning and more focus on issues and policies.
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Increases Voter Choice and Voice:
• RCV gives voters more flexibility to express their preferences without worrying that their vote for a less popular candidate will be “wasted.” It also enables voters to rank candidates based on their true preferences rather than strategically voting for a perceived front-runner.
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Promotes Diverse Candidate Fields:
• With RCV, candidates outside of the traditional two-party system can compete more effectively, leading to more diverse and representative candidate fields. This can encourage participation from a broader range of political and social backgrounds.
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Reduces the Need for Costly Runoff Elections:
• Because the RCV process can simulate a series of runoffs in a single election, it eliminates the need for separate runoff elections, saving time and money while maintaining voter engagement and turnout.
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Minimizes Extremism:
• By requiring candidates to appeal to a broader base to win a majority, RCV can help moderate candidates with broad appeal succeed, reducing the chances of extreme candidates winning with a small but loyal voter base.
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Provides a More Accurate Reflection of Voter Preferences:
• RCV captures more information about voters’ preferences, giving a fuller picture of voter sentiment and making the outcome more reflective of the electorate’s views.
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Improves Representation in Multi-Winner Elections:
• In multi-winner elections, RCV can be used as a form of proportional representation, ensuring that diverse groups within a community can elect candidates that truly represent their interests.
Overall, ranked choice voting is praised for creating a fairer and more democratic process, encouraging positive campaign strategies, and providing outcomes that more accurately reflect the will of the voters.