Hawaii and Kansas Democrats will use Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV) Ballots in 2020 Primaries. They received Democratic National Committee (DNC) Permission to enable Voters to use RCV.
The Rules and Bylaws Committee of the DNC Unanimously Approved Proposals today by State Democratic Parties in Hawaii and Kansas to use RCV Ballots in their Party Run Presidential Primaries to choose Delegates in 2020.
The Approved Plans ensure that as many Votes as Possible will Count toward Earning Delegates and Underscores Momentum for the increasingly Popular RCV method. Alaska and Wyoming are likely to Join the other States in using RCV in 2020, and Maine will use it in its Presidential Primary in 2024.
RCV Ballots in these States will ensure that Voters will have their Ballot Count for a Backup Choice if their First Choice Falls Short of the Support needed to earn Delegates under DNC Rules. The Initial Tally of First Choices will determine whether All Candidates Exceed the “Viability Threshold” of 15% of the Votes needed to Earn a Proportional Share of Delegates. If they all do, No RCV Tally is needed. If not, the Last-Place Candidate is Removed from the Count, and Ballots for that Candidate Count for the Next Highest-Ranked Active Candidate on each Ballot. This continues until All Candidates have at least 15%.
Ahead of the Decision, Support for use of RCV Ballots proved Strong among Grassroots Democrats. Every Public Comment on State Plans in Alaska, Hawaii, and Kansas, that each Party put up for Review earlier this year. 41 Comments addressed RCV: 37 Comments were clearly Positive, 3 were Neutral, and only 1 was somewhat Negative.
In the Most Diverse Field of Viable Presidential Candidates the Country has seen, and the Largest in at least 40 years, it will also help Candidates who are Reaching beyond their Base to Build a Coalition of Supporters.
Last month, Maine became the First State to use RCV to decide Electoral College Votes in the General Presidential Election in 2020, and will allow RCV for Presidential Primaries starting in 2024.
Among Democratic Presidential Nomination Contests in 2020, Iowa and Nevada will hold Traditional Caucuses where Participants’ “Backup Choices” will Count if their First Choice can’t Win Delegates.
Nevada is also working on Plans to have Early Voters Cast RCV Ballots that will be Integrated into the In-Person Caucuses. Both States will Release the Percentages of Individual Voter Preferences for Candidates and the Percentages of Delegates Earned that will Reflect this RCV-type Approach.
FairVote and FairVote Action, a 501-c-4 Organization, have played an Important Support Role in the Decisions of State Parties to Adopt RCV to help Select the 2020 Democratic Nominee, providing Guidance for Parties on how to Implement and Good Approaches to Voter Education.
FairVote is committed to supporting Implementation of RCV through Supporting Robust Voter Education Plans, and Partnering with Local civic Groups. FairVote Action has Committed to Mobilizing Funds in Support of State Parties using RCV, under the Condition the funds are Reserved Explicitly for Administering these Contests in Funds from a Separate Bank Account.
Other Parties, including Republicans during their 2016 Nomination Contest, have also reached out to FairVote and FairVote Action about RCV over the years.
More than 600,000 RCV Ballots will be Mailed to Registered Voters. The First Primaries where All Democratic Voters will Cast RCV Ballots will take place on April 4th, when Alaska, Hawaii, and Wyoming will Count Absentee Ballots and allow In-Person Voting. Kansas will hold its Primary with RCV Ballots on May 2nd.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
