| Matt Markovich | MyNorthwest.com |
But House Bill 1448 is looking to shake things up by introducing ranked choice voting to local elections. An attempt to implement ranked choice voting failed during the 2024 legislative session, but democratic lawmakers have brought it back, hoping the second time is the charm.
”I’m excited for a voting future…
Treveon Parish, a youth leader, supported ranked choice voting, highlighting its potential to increase youth voter turnout. Colin Cole emphasized ranked choice voting’s security and audibility, referencing data from cities like San Francisco and Portland. Vivian Olson of Edmonds said ranked choice voting will give non-incumbents a better shot at winning.
“I’m excited for a voting future where everyone who wants to be on council runs in a single pool of candidates for all seats,” Olson said. “This method will sometimes do away with the extra cost of a primary election, reduce negative campaigning and will encourage more people to run for office as running for a position is much less intimidating than running against an incumbent.”