Ranked choice voting complexity can be reduced

The Iowa Legislature has put forth a bill to ban Ranked Choice Voting. On Feb.18, Gazette columnist Althea Cole wrote that RCV is too complex.

RCV can have reduced levels of complexity. Let’s look at an example. Alaskans are happy with their version of RCV that has an open primary with the top four vote winners being put on the general election RCV ballot. But if one is seeking to limit complexity, letting only the top three onto the general election ballot and into the debates would greatly simplify the process. In a three-way debate there are only three one-on-one relationships between the three candidates.

Three-way debates will be more positive than our usual two-way debates. Three-way debates create an incentive for candidates to not use negative ads and to be as forthright and respectful as they can be in their one-on-one debate exchanges. To win a majority in a three-way election, candidates will probably need second choice votes. Voters will also have the new option to record their second-choice. A voter will most likely give his/her second-choice vote to the candidate who has the most respectful relationship with his/her first-choice candidate. This creates the positive incentive.

Three-way elections are both more positive and more complex. Different voters will have different preferences over this trade-off. Our democracy will be the most positive if we all affirm a goal of fairness in our voting system that is above partisan goals.

Clark Rieke

Cedar Rapids