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Andrew Szilva, Executive Director
email: [email protected]
phone: (312) 585-6808
How to describe ranked choice voting (RCV)
Ranked choice voting is a way to ensure elections are fair for all voters. It allows voters the option to rank candidates in order of preference: one, two, three, and so forth.
If your vote cannot help your top choice win, your vote counts for your next choice.
If a candidate receives more than half of the first choices, that candidate wins, just like in any other election. However, if there is no majority winner after counting first choices, the race is decided by an "instant runoff." The candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and voters who picked that candidate as ‘number 1’ will have their votes count for their next choice. This process continues until there’s a majority winner or a candidate won with more than half of the vote.
How to describe FairVote Illinois
Incorporated in 2020, FairVote Illinois is made up of volunteers who are supporters of democracy, who value freedom and fairness in our elections, and are passionate about implementing 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 (RCV).
Statistics for stories
- 18 cities and the states of Maine use ranked choice voting and several additional cities (including a few new states) are poised to use it in their upcoming election cycle.
- 75% of voters in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District reported ranked choice voting was “somewhat” or “very” easy, according to an exit survey conducted with the Bangor Daily News
- Turnout increased 10 percentage points under ranked choice voting elections when used to replace primary and runoff elections, according to a 2016 study
- According to a 2016 study, “ranked choice voting (RCV) increases the likelihood that a woman will win local elective office and, importantly, increases the proportion of female candidates of color running and winning local elective office.”