January 1, Ranked Choice Voting Backlash Grows

Wyatt’s Take

• Ranked Choice Voting has lost ground in nearly every state.
• Seventeen states now ban the system, and more bills are coming.
• Even Michigan campaign leaders admit defeat after failing to get support.

Ranked Choice Voting was once hyped as the next big thing, but now it’s banned across much of the country.

This year, the movement couldn’t even get its plan on the ballot in Michigan, showing how far the tide has turned.

Advocates once easily convinced voters in Maine and Alaska to try out Ranked Choice Voting. They banked on voters buying in, spending heavily on promotions for elections in 2016 and 2020.

Lately, though, the winds have shifted. In 2024, every statewide ballot attempt failed, even in left-leaning states like Oregon and Nevada.

Seventeen states in total have outlawed the system, with new bans recently passed. Lawmakers in Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana are working on more.

Supporters did eke out two small victories. Alaska voters narrowly kept RCV by just 743 votes and D.C. adopted it for open primaries, but both rollouts have faced setbacks.

Michigan was supposed to be RCV’s next big win. That effort collapsed after organizers failed to collect enough signatures—falling short by about 200,000.

The Michigan Association of County Clerks slammed the idea, warning it would confuse voters, make ballots even longer, and cause folks to lose trust in elections.

One clerk said, “Michigan voters already face some of the longest and most complex ballots in the nation.” Another warning was, “adding inconsistency, voter confusion, and voter fatigue.”

RCV backers haven’t given up yet. Out-of-state money and activist groups still push it, but regular Americans are seeing through these election schemes.

Middle America keeps proving that complicated voting plans don’t fly with hard-working folks who just want fair and simple elections. Stay tuned for more heartland updates.

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Wyatt Matters

Our elections work best when everyone understands the rules and trusts the process. Adding layers of confusion doesn’t serve the heartland or help everyday Americans make their voices heard.