Ranked Choice Voting Ahead for Maryland?

[BeoBill]

I read this in Maryland Matters this morning, and homed in on it like a cruise missile. I didn't see this new wrinkle surface anywhere yet, and thought this could be the best place to put it, since it directly affects the political climate in this state. I fear that this is on its way to becoming a bill here.

From https://ballotpedia.org/Ranked-choice_voting_(RCV):

A ranked-choice voting system (RCV) is an electoral system in which voters rank candidates by preference on their ballots. If a candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, he or she is declared the winner. If no candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, the candidate with the fewest first-preference votes is eliminated. First-preference votes cast for the failed candidate are eliminated, lifting the second-preference choices indicated on those ballots. A new tally is conducted to determine whether any candidate has won a majority of the adjusted votes. The process is repeated until a candidate wins an outright majority.[1][2]...

RCV is the way that Democrat radicals have ensured that California became - and remains - a single party Democrat state. I fear they are working to make this happen here too, to cement their legacy forever. Keep your eyes open.

Opinion: Lessons Learned From a Gubernatorial Straw Poll With Ranked-Choice Voting

Larry Ottinger is president of Our Maryland, the state’s largest online platform for promoting a just and sustainable future. Michelle Whittaker is the statewide coordinator of RCV Maryland, a grass-roots coalition promoting ranked choice voting in the state.

Our Maryland, RCV Maryland and FairVote recently co-sponsored an online straw poll of the candidates in the Maryland Democratic primary for governor. The straw poll was open to all Marylanders, with voting taking place from June 1 to 15. Ranked choice voting (RCV) was used to yield a majority — as opposed to plurality — winner and to allow voters to rank their favorite candidates without fear of playing a spoiler role.

We are now prepared to publicly report the results and lessons learned from the straw poll...

Emphasis added.

 

[DC-W]

The states in yellow have it for state and federal elections. Some jurisdictions in the dark blue states have it.

Ranked-choice voting (RCV)

Ballotpedia: The Encyclopedia of American Politics

ballotpedia.org

 

[BeoBill]

I didn't realize that. So where does Maryland stand? Are we to become the California of the East Coast?

 

[TapRackBang]

RCV is the way that Democrat radicals have ensured that California became - and remains - a single party Democrat state. I fear they are working to make this happen here too, to cement their legacy forever. Keep your eyes open.

Maybe you don't realize that if we had RCV at the time, Bill Clinton would have lost in 1992.

RCV tends to favor moderates, not "radical" candidates.

 

[TheOriginalMexicanBob]

Ranked Choice Voting is designed to help get the least qualified elected and the more qualified kept out. It eliminates the concept of real choice.

 

[MDFF2008]

I don't understand how ranked-choice voting doesn't violate 1 person 1 vote.

 

[TapRackBang]

Then you should read up on it. Because it's still one person, one vote.

 

[rseymorejr]

Then you should read up on it. Because it's still one person, one vote.

Yes, but they are forcing you to change your vote just because your guy came in last

 

[TapRackBang]

Ranked Choice Voting is designed to help get the least qualified elected and the more qualified kept out. It eliminates the concept of real choice.

That is exactly the opposite of what it does.

 

[TapRackBang]

Yes, but they are forcing you to change your vote just because your guy came in last

That's not how it works. You are choosing the ranking. You do not have to rank candidates you would never want to see elected.

For example if there was RCV in 1992, you could have ranked Perot #1, Bush #2, Marrou as #3, a write-in baked-potato as #4, and not ranked Billy at all. Then instead of having to live through 8 years of Clinton because of Perot spoiling the election, Bush would have won.

 

[Boondock Saint]