By Mark Bauer
In an increasingly complex world, few things are as easy as 1-2-3 anymore. (I asked ChatGPT for some examples of things as easy as 1-2-3, and it cited counting to 3 and making instant coffee)
Just like in the aforementioned example, we’re also outsourcing more and more of our thinking to Artificial Intelligence. We’re trying to take the guesswork out of work. That’s all fine and good, as proponents of AI suggest that if we outsource some of the decisionmaking we’re required to do on a daily basis, it will free up our grey matter to focus on more important core responsibilities and less on menial tasks.
What does this have to do with democracy reforms, like Ranked Choice Voting? One dectraction routinely leveled against Ranked Choice Voting is that it’s “confusing, exhausting, and slow.”
“Ranked choice voting has the potential to create confusion, and will result in more disenfranchisement than our current system,” says one author.
On the contrary, a recent study shows that voter turnout in local elections with RCV is 17 percent higher than in jurisdictions that don’t utilize RCV. There could be several reasons for that. Chief among them is that if voters feel more empowered and that their voice actually matters, they’re more likely to show up to the voting booth to cast a ballot in the first place.
Without Ranked Choice Voting, general election outcomes are heavily influenced by the limited options that emerge from primary elections, where turnout is often remarkably low. Reports suggest that as few as 20 percent of eligible voters participate in primaries, meaning a small segment of the electorate determines the choices available to everyone in the general election, and those candidates routinely reflect the more partisan appetites of primary voters. Additionally, the way electoral districts are drawn—often through gerrymandering by party leaders—can further skew the outcome of both primaries and general elections, reducing the competitiveness and representativeness of the process.
If you, as a voter, didn’t participate in the primary elections that determine the limited choices on the General Election ballot, you’ve effectively left those decisions to a small fraction of the electorate—people whose interests may not align with your own. This dynamic, compounded by issues like low turnout and gerrymandering, highlights how much influence is essentially outsourced to others when you’re not part of the process. Utilizing RCV at any of those stages in the electoral process can help produce less polarizing candidates that appeal to broader swaths of the electorate, which can generate more interest and engagement at the polls.
RCV is proven to be a more elegant solution that’s as easy as 1) showing up to vote one time, 2) having your vote counted and tallied in a more competitive race with more options to choose from, 3) basking in the results of an elected leader chosen through a more democratic process. In other words, it’s as easy as 1-2-3.
So for RCV Day on 1/23, take back some of that power. Insist on utilization of Ranked Choice Voting in more elections. You can still outsource as much thinking as you want for less important matters. But when it comes to how we choose our representatives in government, maybe that decision is best left to you.
To learn more, join Rank the Vote leaders for a virtual webinar extolling the benefits of ranked choice voting on our democratic process.
When: Thursday, January 23rd at 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Please RSVP here so we can save a seat for you on the Zoom.
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Mark Bauer is a producer, entrepreneur, day trader and former Independent candidate for Congress in Texas. Previously he spent 10 years as a legal journalist covering the legal market in Texas and regulatory issues in Washington DC.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Rank the Vote, its members, supporters, funders, or affiliates.
