Ranked Choice Voting: Lessons from the States

Event
June 25, 2018

Ranked Choice Voting: Lessons from the States

Event Details

  • When
  • June 25, 2018
  • 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM
  • Where
  • Third Way
  • 1025 Connecticut Ave, NW
  • Washington, DC 20036
Google
Map data ©2025 Google
Map data ©2025 Google

Last week, Maine held its congressional and state primaries using ranked choice voting (RCV) in crowded fields for both the Democratic and Republican nominations for governor. Voters also considered a statewide ballot question to sustain use of RCV. For the second time in two years, they passed it by a convincing margin, with the added benefit this time of experiencing RCV as well—one labeled in an editorial in the Maine’s largest paper as a resounding success. Going forward, Maine will use RCV this November in three federal races with more than two credible candidates—U.S. Senate and both of the state’s congressional races. They’ll also use RCV for future congressional and state primary elections.

Before Maine grabbed national headlines, New Mexico led the way, where Santa Fe used RCV for the first time in an open seats race for mayor. Turnout was higher than in decades, the campaign among five candidates was hailed for its high quality, and statistics and exit surveys confirmed how well voters used RCV. It is not accident that the city council fo the state’s second largest city, Las Cruces, this month voted unanimously to adopt RCV for its 2019 elections.

Come hear more about ranked choice voting, lessons from Maine and New Mexico, and where RCV is garnering interest around the country. Lanae Erickson Hatalsky, VP for Social Policy & Politics at Third Way, will moderate a conversation with:

  • Maria Perez, who directs FairVote New Mexico, and was central to introducing RCV to Santa Fe voters this year and in talking with policymakers around the state.

  • Rob Richie, who as president and CEO of FairVote has helped engineer the movement for RCV since the 1990s and whose colleagues are working with allies in states across the country, including the League of Women Voters of Maine project this year that has focused on implementing RCV well in its first major statewide use in nearly a century.

Breakfast will be provided beginning at 8:45 am. This policy briefing is co-sponsored by Third Way and FairVote.