Ranked Choice Voting

Governor Ige recently signed extremely limited Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) legislation which would allow voters an opportunity to “rank” candidates in a particular race.

How many times has one not voted for their preferred candidate for fear that someone they do not support would win? With RCV, one chooses the candidate they would most rather have for the specific position. If their preferred candidate does not receive the most votes, who would be a second choice for the voter?

The candidate with the fewest votes is removed and those voters who chose that individual then have their second choice receive their vote. This process continues until a candidate receives 50 percent plus one and they are then elected. The person who is eventual declared the winner would be the one who is preferred by more voters. There is a better chance that more of a cross section of voters would have chosen the winning candidate and is more of a consensus choice of the voters.

On Molokai, in the State House District 13 race, there are three of us as candidates. The other day someone mentioned to me they may not vote for their preferred candidate for fear that the person they definitely do not want may win! RCV would eliminate this from having to be considered. One votes for their favorite and then their second choice.

Maine in 2020 chose the POTUS plus their U.S. Senator utilizing RCV! RCV has been used effectively for many years in more than fifty jurisdictions throughout the U.S., with every year more places instituting RCV including around the world. It has never been removed after voters experienced RCV. If you go to a restaurant and the dish you wanted is sold out, you then choose your second choice. Simple! RCV is even used to choose the best movie at the Academy Awards.

The time to institute RCV in Hawai’i for all races, plus put an end to the concepts of “spoiler” and “voting for the lesser of two evils” is long overdue. I am seeking the State House District 13 seat, which includes Molokai.

Nikhilananda
Candidate for the Hawaii State House of Representatives
District 13