| Grant Ashley | WAMC |
Ranked Choice Voting Albany (RCV Albany) advocates submitted a petition Wednesday at City Hall, calling for a referendum to implement ranked-choice voting in city elections to be on this November’s ballot. More than 3,200 city residents signed the petition, RCV Albany organizers said, about 800 more than they needed to be heard by the Albany Common Council.
”Every voter an equal voice
“Every voter would have the opportunity to help choose their leaders, and candidates would need to earn broad support from across the community,” RCV Albany co-chair Charlotte Collet said at a press conference Wednesday. “This proposal is about giving voters more choices, encouraging more positive campaigns, and ensuring that our elections better reflect the people of Albany.”
“Right now, party primaries function as de facto elections in Albany, shutting out thousands of unaffiliated and cross-party voters,” said Richard Conti, a former Albany Common Councilmember and ranked-choice voting supporter, on Wednesday. “A single, uniform, nonpartisan election with ranked-choice voting is more inclusive, gives every voter an equal voice, and ensures majority winners without costly runoffs.”
If the referendum passed, Albany would be the third municipality in New York State to adopt ranked-choice voting. The town of Newburgh in Orange County adopted a version of ranked-choice voting earlier this year, and New York City has used ranked-choice voting in primaries and special elections for city positions since the 2021 cycle.