Dear Editor: Ranked Choice Voting is Just Rank

Dear Editor,

Ranked choice voting is just rank! Coming soon to a shopping center near you, a bright-eyed college student will approach you with a clipboard and a smile to get you to sign a petition to make elections fairer, requiring a majority of voters for a candidate to be elected. They are actually being paid to push Montana Constitutional amendments (CI126 & CI127) for ranked choice voting. They can't present it that way since ranked choice has rightfully earned a bad name for itself.

A resolution opposing all ranked-choice initiatives, especially CI126 and CI127, was unanimously passed at the January Jefferson County Republican Central Committee meeting.

The background is that the elected officials of both Montana houses passed legislation forbidding rank-choice voting, which our governor signed into law during the last legislature. Not allowing what the people want to get in the way, a small group of influential and often out-of-state players have decided to rebrand it and try to amend the Montana Constitution so that no laws may be passed again against this terrible practice.

There are three main problems with ranked choice voting:

1. It diminishes voter confidence. Voters must make informed decisions on all the candidates on the ballot, not just who they support.

2. It creates slower election results while increasing irregularities and costs. The multiple rounds of tabulations take time, a centralized location for tabulation (no threat to integrity there), additional costs, and are confusing for voters. Most importantly, it fundamentally changes the concept of 'one voter, one vote' to one voter, multiple votes.

3. It discounts votes. If a voter undervotes and only votes for their candidate, that ballot does not count toward the end result.

For a full explanation of the process, visit the Foundation for Government Accountability article:

Ranked choice voting explained: So when that cheery-faced co-ed approaches you with a clipboard, ask them to explain ranked choice voting and why so many governments that have tried it have reversed course. Then politely say, "No, thank you."

Jefferson County Republican Central Committee