Does Ranked Choice Voting Increase Voter Turnout and Mobilization
Sep 6, 2024
While critics of RCV complain that it confuses and somehow disenfranchises voters, a recent research paper found significant and substantially higher probabilities of turnout in places that use RCV.
In a 2021 study, researchers from the RCV Resource Center, University of California, Davis, the University of Iowa, and Western Washington University examined voting behavior in over 10,000 cities. Controlling for various factors, they discovered that people in jurisdictions with RCV were more likely to vote. Voter participation in RCV areas was 12.8%, compared to 10.6% nationally—a 17% increase. This increase is notable, considering the 24% difference in voter participation between states with the most and least restrictive voting laws.
Why the increase? Previous research suggests RCV leads to more civility and less negative campaigning. Candidates in RCV races report more positive campaigning and voter outreach efforts. Additionally, newspaper articles about RCV elections tend to be more positive.
This study further explored RCV's impact on voter outreach. Using two national surveys, they found that voters in RCV cities were more likely to be contacted by campaigns, particularly through in-person visits, mail, and email. This suggests that RCV campaigns may favor more personalized outreach methods.
You can read the complete study here: Does Ranked Choice Voting Increase Voter Turnout and Mobilization? - ScienceDirect