Ranked Choice Voting and Civility
In 2013, FairVote received a generous grant from the Democracy Fund to conduct a comprehensive two-year study of the impact of ranked choice voting (RCV) on campaign cooperation and civility in local elections in the U.S.
Working with the Eagleton Poll at Rutgers University and a core team of four academics led by Professor Caroline Tolbert of the University of Iowa, FairVote has analyzed the views and experiences of local voters in large independent public opinion surveys, explored the tone of newspaper coverage and candidates' social media activity, and engaged in statistical analyses of voter turnout, rankings and ballot spoilage.
So far, research emerging from the project shows:
- Likely voters in cities that used RCV in their local elections in 2013 and 2014 were more satisfied with the conduct of candidate campaigns, and perceived less candidate criticism and negative campaigning in the lead up to their local elections.
- Ranked choice voting was supported by a majority of voters with an opinion. In both 2013 and 2014, a majority of voters in RCV cities supported the use of RCV in local elections. In the 2014 survey of California cities, a majority of voters with an opinion in cities that use plurality voting supported the adoption of RCV in their local elections.
- In 2013, newspaper coverage of the local elections in RCV cities was significantly more positive (and less negative) than in the non-RCV cities.
Read the 2015 report on RCV in cities here. |
Read the 2014 Eagleton Poll RCV Survey Results here. |
For more information and downloadable reports visit the pages below.
Citizens in at least 10 U.S. cities currently vote using RCV, including San Francisco, Minneapolis and St Paul. Opinion polling shows that voters' experiences with RCV are positive: they support the use of RCV in local elections, understand RCV and notice a less negative and critical campaign tone. 
With over 100 elections conducted using RCV in the U.S. since 2000, there is much data RCV and its relationship to voter turnout, ballot spoilage, voter behavior and strategy and numerous other aspects of RCV elections. 
Does RCV change the way media report on elections or the way candidates reach out to voters, talk to each another and use negative ads? Initial findings suggest RCV is accompanied by more positive campaign reporting in newspaper media and a different style of candidate communication on social media. 
FairVote has assembled a team of academic advisers with whom we work closely on issues relating to ranked choice voting. They are currently taking the lead in implementing a research project into the potential impact of RCV on the tone and substance of campaigns for which we received $300,000 from the Democracy Fund. 
