A Heads Up on Some Important Legislation
Changing the way we cast a ballot in Massachusetts
When multiple candidates compete in an election, the winner often ends up with less than 50% of the vote. With Ranked Choice Voting no candidate is deemed the winner until he or she has earned more than half the votes. Sen. DiZoglio has co-sponsored a senate bill that aims to make this a reality.
With Ranked Choice, voters select their first choice candidate, but also have the ability to choose among the other candidates, ranking them in order of preference. If after an initial tally no candidate reaches 50%, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are given to each voter’s second choice. This process repeats until one candidate reaches the 50% mark. This system eliminates the fear of spoilers, and creates a more cooperative environment for competing candidates.
Sen. DiZoglio co-sponsored Senate bill S.420, (House version H.635) which gives cities and towns an easier way to adopt this new system for local elections. Another bill being considered in both chambers, S.414 and H.719, would apply to all state and federal elections, with the exception of presidential elections.
Here's more information about this innovative approach to voting. Or check out this short video.
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