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General RCV Questions

You can also learn more about RCV and how it works on our About Ranked Choice Voting page!

• What is ranked choice voting?

  Ranked choice voting (RCV) is a simple upgrade to our current voting system that allows voters to rank multiple candidates in the order of their preference.

• How does RCV work?

  With RCV, voters cast a single ballot and rank candidates in the order they prefer (first choice, second choice, third choice, and so on). Voters’ first choices are then counted. If a candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, meaning more than 50%, that candidate wins. If no candidate has a majority of first-choice votes, the race is decided by an “instant runoff” (RCV is also known as Instant-Runoff Voting, or IRV). In the instant runoff process, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and voters who picked that candidate as their first choice will have their vote moved to their second choice automatically. This continues until a candidate has over 50% of the vote and wins the election.

   

  Learn more on our About Ranked Choice Voting page or watch our explainer video

• Why is RCV a better way to vote?

  Ranked choice voting is a better way to vote than our current winner-take-all system because it:

  • Promotes majority support
    • More than half of all voters will select the winner with one of their choices.
  • Encourages positive campaigning
    • In addition to campaigning for 1st choice votes, candidates also compete to be the 2nd or even 3rd choice of their opponents’ supporters, which disincentivizes negative campaigning.
  • Provides more choice for voters
    • RCV encourages more candidates to run because they don’t have to worry about taking away votes from a similar candidate or waiting for “their turn.” This inherently promotes diversity of political viewpoints as well as diversity of backgrounds, beliefs, and demographics. 
  • Allows voters to vote for their favorite candidate
    • Voters are able to cast their first-choice vote for a candidate they truly support rather than voting against the candidate they oppose the most. In addition, voters can vote for their first-choice candidate without fear of “vote splitting” or throwing away their vote. 
  • Saves tax dollars
    • RCV eliminates the need for separate, expensive runoff elections because it is designed to produce a winner who receives a majority of support in a single election.
    • For example, the 2023 Chicago mayoral runoff election cost taxpayers $19.8 million. This cost would not have been incurred with RCV because the runoff would have occurred instantly in the general election. This is why RCV is sometimes referred to as “instant-runoff voting.”

• How many candidates can I rank?

  The number of candidates a voter can rank in an RCV election may differ by community based on local laws, the number of candidates running, capabilities of voting equipment and software, and other factors. In general, RCV elections allow voters to rank at least three candidates.

• Am I allowed to vote for just one candidate?

  Yes. Voters are not required to rank candidates in an RCV election. A voter may select just one candidate as their preferred choice and choose to not rank additional candidates, and this will not harm their first choice’s chances of winning. However, the benefit of ranking candidates is that your ballot will continue to count if your first choice is eliminated.

• Does RCV mean you get to vote more than once or that you get more than one vote?

  No. Just like our current winner-take-all voting system, you still get only one vote per race with RCV. The difference is, you have the option to rank your choices rather than only selecting your first choice.

• Does RCV favor one political party over others?

  No. RCV does not favor any one political party. RCV is a nonpartisan voting reform designed to improve freedom and fairness in our elections. RCV has support in both major political parties, among third parties, and among independent voters.

• What kind of candidates win RCV elections?

  Candidates that do best in RCV elections appeal to a large number of voters in order to gain not just first-choice votes, but also second- and even third-choice votes. RCV prevents candidates from winning by only appealing to a small base of voters in a fractured field — a viable and commonly used strategy with our current winner-take-all system.

• Is RCV constitutional?

  Yes. Nothing in the U.S. Constitution requires a particular voting method, and courts across the country have consistently upheld ranked choice voting. Federal and state courts have affirmed RCV in Maine, San Francisco, Cambridge, Minneapolis, and elsewhere.

   

  • Baber v. Dunlap, 1:18-cv-465 (D.Me. Dec. 13, 2018) (upholding RCV in Maine)
  • Dudum v. Arntz, 640 F.3d 1098 (9th Cir. 2011) (upholding RCV in San Francisco)
  • McSweeney v. City of Cambridge, 665 N.E.2d 11 (Mass. 1996) (upholding RCV in Cambridge);
  • Minnesota Voters Alliance v. City of Minneapolis, 766 N.W.2d 683 (Minn. 2009) (upholding RCV in Minneapolis)
  • Stephenson v. Ann Arbor Bd. of Comm'rs, No. 75-10166 AW (Mich. Cir. Ct. Cnt'y of Jackson 1975) (Michigan district level court upholding RCV in Ann Arbor)

  
  At the state level, Illinois home-rule communities have broad authority under the Illinois Constitution to determine the form and conduct of their own local elections. Several Illinois communities have exercised that authority by adopting ranked choice voting through local referenda.
  

Questions About FairVote Illinois

• What is FairVote Illinois?

  We are a nonpartisan, volunteer-run organization advocating for ranked choice voting in Illinois.

  
  Our mission is to empower Illinois voters to be heard, supported, and represented by improving freedom and fairness in our elections through ranked choice voting.

   

  Learn more about FairVote Illinois, our mission, and our team by visiting our About Us page.

• What does FairVote Illinois do?

  FairVote Illinois is raising awareness of — and support for — RCV in the state, educating voters and politicians about the benefits of RCV and advocating for RCV throughout Illinois for local, state and federal elections.

  
  We do this through the hard work of volunteers who canvas at events, promote RCV online and through social media, contact their representatives, recruit others to join our cause, coordinate with other community groups, and so much more.

• How can I support FairVote Illinois?

  There are several ways you can get involved with FairVote Illinois, from joining one of our many teams and/or canvassing at events, to making a donation or simply signing up to show your support for RCV in Illinois. Stop by one of our biweekly volunteer orientations to learn more about the ins and outs of FairVote Illinois and find a way to contribute that works best for you.

   

  Click here to view our events calendar and RSVP to one of our upcoming events. All are welcome.
  
  Click here to see all the ways you can help FairVote Illinois.

• How is FairVote Illinois funded?

  FairVote Illinois is funded by individual donations and grants from nonpartisan organizations that support ranked choice voting and democracy reform.

Questions about RCV in Illinois

• Where is ranked choice voting currently used?

  Illinois is on the cusp. Voters in Evanston, Oak Park, and Skokie have all passed referenda adopting ranked choice voting for their local elections, though implementation is pending. Our state capital, Springfield, uses RCV for overseas and military voters participating in certain local elections. Nationally, RCV is used statewide in Maine and Alaska, and in cities including New York City, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Santa Fe, and Oakland. For a full map of where RCV is currently in use in the United States, visit FairVote.org. 

• What is the process for adopting RCV in Illinois?

  The path depends on the community. Under the Illinois Constitution, home-rule municipalities have significant authority over the form and conduct of their local elections, and several Illinois communities have already moved to adopt ranked choice voting for local races through voter referenda. 

   

  Turning those local decisions into administered elections also involves the practical side of implementation, ensuring election authorities have clear procedures and certified equipment to run RCV smoothly. FairVote Illinois and our partners are working to support that implementation so that communities who have chosen ranked choice voting can put it into practice.

• Are there any current efforts to implement RCV in Illinois?

  Yes, and the momentum is building. Three Illinois communities have already voted for ranked choice voting at the ballot box: Evanston in 2022, and Oak Park in 2024, and Skokie in 2025. These communities are ready to lead, and they've set the stage for RCV across the state.

   

  To put these local victories into practice, RCV supporters are working to pass local-option legislation in Springfield, which would clear the way for Illinois municipalities to implement the reform their voters have chosen. There's also growing interest in bringing RCV to Chicago. 

   

  Your town could be next. Get involved to help bring ranked choice voting to your community.

• Who supports RCV in Illinois?

  Ranked choice voting has support from elected officials, organizations, and community leaders across Illinois, and that list keeps growing.

   

  In the General Assembly, support is reflected in the sponsors of RCV local-option legislation, Senate Bill 2004. The current sponsors are Senators Laura Murphy, David Koehler, Robert Peters, Graciela Guzmán, Mary Edly-Allen, Napoleon Harris III, Rachel Ventura, Emil Jones III, and Mattie Hunter. There are many other members of the Illinois House and Senate who support RCV, and the list is changing all the time. 

   

  In Chicago, a growing coalition of alderpersons, officials, and community leaders backs RCV. You can see the current list of Chicago supporters on our Chicago page.

   

  If you or your organization would like to add your name in support, we'd love to hear from you, reach out here.