Polls over the past year have consistently found 80% or more of Americans are concerned or feel there’s a threat to the U.S. democratic system.
That has many people searching for a solution. And lately one proposed reform seems to be rising to the top.
“Ranked choice voting is the hot reform,” said Larry Jacobs, a political science professor at the University of Minnesota. “It’s being driven by deep, almost existential panic about the demise of American democracy. People are looking around what’s going to respond to this. And ranked choice voting is the ‘it’ reform at this moment.”
Roughly 50 American voting jurisdictions — from small cities to states — have now moved to a ranked choice voting system, according to tracking by the advocacy group FairVote, and it’s shaping up to be one of the political subplots of 2024.
Advocates say ranked choice voting could help take some of the toxicity out of American politics while giving voters access to a broader swath of ideas. Skeptics worry it makes voting more confusing, which could especially harm voters from marginalized communities.
Alaska and Maine are currently the only states to use ranked choice voting in statewide races, but more could soon join them.
Close to four dozen cities, notably including New York City, have now moved to the voting system for local races as well.
Five states, all controlled by Republicans, have now banned ranked choice voting in the last two years: Tennessee, Florida, Idaho, Montana and South Dakota.