Understanding Ranked-Choice Voting in Nevada

The foundational principle of “one person, one vote” has been a steadfast pillar of the U.S. electoral system since the nation’s inception.

However, a potential paradigm shift looms ahead for Nevadans as the 2024 ballot will include a decision on ranked-choice voting (RCV). The proposed change seeks to change the voting process for various state and federal offices, from the state legislature and governor to the U.S. Senate and House.

Ranked-choice voting allows up to five candidates to contend for each open position. Voters would then rank candidates in order of preference, from first to last.

The tabulation process unfolds in rounds until a candidate secures a majority. If there is no majority in the first round, the candidate with the fewest votes gets eliminated, and their supporters’ votes transfer to their second-ranked choice. This iterative process continues until a candidate emerges with a majority.

Critics argue the system introduces a potential disparity, allowing some individuals to cast multiple votes. Consider the scenario in the governor’s race: a Nevada voter ranks five candidates, and if their top choice finishes last, their vote seamlessly shifts to their second choice. Should no majority be reached, the process repeats, allowing a single voter’s influence to be counted four times in the same race.

The complexity of ranked-choice voting also raises concerns about disenfranchisement. Some voters may unintentionally fail to rank all five candidates, leading to what is known as an “exhausted ballot.”

It can occur due to a lack of understanding of the process, aversion to candidates, or to vote for their preferred candidate repeatedly. In the event of an exhausted ballot, a voter’s input might get discarded, rendering them voiceless in determining the eventual winner.

Alaska’s 2022 congressional special election provides a cautionary tale. In that election, which utilized RCV, nearly 15,000 ballots were exhausted, essentially silencing those voters, while the difference between the winner and the runner-up was 5,240 votes.