Instant runoff voting can change elections for the better

I’ve heard many times that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” That is surely salient advice, but there are some cases where we don’t realize something is broken. 

 

Our current election system is one of those cases – and a big part of it has to do with the runoffs. While runoffs do have their benefits, like ensuring majority support, there are issues as well. 

 

For example, look at the 2023 City of Charleston’s mayoral race. About 3,500 less people voted in the runoff than the original election and taxpayers had to pay an additional $105,000 to make it happen. 

 

There’s a better way – and that better way fixes a lot of other issues with runoffs as well.

 

Instant runoff voting (also known as ranked choice voting) is a simple upgrade to the way that we vote. 

 

Instead of voting for one like we currently do, you simply rank your candidates in the order that you prefer them, as many or as few as you want. Since you have already indicated how you would vote in the event of a runoff, the runoff is unnecessary, saving time and money. More votes are captured at once. 

 

The Post and Courier published a commentary during the primary runoff this year warning people to get their absentee ballots mailed as soon as possible. The Juneteenth holiday was right in the middle of our short runoff period and ballots were unfortunately returned after the election and, therefore, weren’t counted. Instant runoff voting would solve this issue. South Carolina’s overseas absentee and military voters actually vote with an instant runoff ballot for this very reason.

 

Additionally, it changes the way campaigns are run. Since candidates are no longer trying to be only your top choice, they must reach a broader audience. This means their message needs to be broad enough to reach a wide swath of voters, not just their small base. From this, we see a decrease in polarization. For a similar reason, we see candidates sling less mud at their opponent and focus more on their positive vision for their constituents. Voters just won’t rank a candidate who insults their top pick.

 

It also increases voter turnout. In the June primaries, we saw less than 14% voter participation. Instant runoff voting has the potential to increase voter turnout. With instant runoff voting, voters can fully express how they feel about a candidate rather than picking the lesser of two evils. A first choice never suffers for backup choices. It also allows more candidates to run because it eliminates vote splitting and the spoiler effect, so people are more likely to find a candidate they fully align with and still have candidates they mostly agree with as back up choices.

 

It has been used across the country in counties and municipalities to great effect. Three states even use it statewide: Alaska, Hawaii, and Maine. 

 

Instant runoff voting has the potential to change our elections for the better. 

 

To learn more, please visit www.BetterBallotSC.org

 

Nicole Sanchez is president of Better Ballot SC. The organization describes itself as a nonpartisan grassroots movement comprised of a diverse group of South Carolinians who are uniting under a common cause: to make elections more fair with instant runoff voting.