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Pete-PDX t1_ivlqun6 wrote

Reply to comment by dc551589 in Reports of alleged voter intimidation and interference in NC ahead of Election Day by Zen1

I hear many people say ranked voting will solve problems. Not one has explained to me how that will happen.

Repealing Citizens United is missing from your list and without it -none of the other changes matter.

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dc551589 t1_ivlsij9 wrote

Agreed, as with another commenter, that I forgot Citizens United.

As far as how ranked choice voting is an improvement is because it’s a much fairer way to do things. What I mean is that the way ranked choice works is you pick your first choice, then second, third. etc. Think of a primary. Let’s say you really liked Maggie Hassan but if she couldn’t win your next choice would be Bernie, and let’s say your third is Biden. If Hassan doesn’t get enough votes to win there’s an instant runoff and the vote you cast for her would turn into a Bernie vote. Then if Bernie couldn’t do it the same thing would happen and your vote would turn into a Biden vote. Now imagine your first choice is Bernie but you HATE Hassan. You’d put whoever else as your second choice and then if Bernie doesn’t make the cut you won’t have wasted your vote. It would go to your second choice, or the candidate who “ranks” second for you. The current system is how you end up with Biden and a ton of democrats saying they don’t hate him but there not thrilled with a lot of aspects of his presidency.

ETA: ranked choice voting would only really show its benefits with more than a two party system in general elections. Although, it would eliminate people getting mad at people (justifiably) who vote for small third party candidates which, in the current system, is like throwing your vote away.

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Pete-PDX t1_ivpj416 wrote

>ETA: ranked choice voting would only really show its benefits with more than a two party system in general elections.

Exactly my thinking and we have a two party two major candidate system so nothing really changes.

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nagrom7 t1_ivmkvh9 wrote

Ranked choice allows for minor parties to run without essentially syphoning votes away from their preferred major. It means people will have more choice than D or R.

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Pete-PDX t1_ivpfv95 wrote

but how does change anything? It is still going to be an R or D that wins.

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nagrom7 t1_ivrcblh wrote

Maybe for the first couple elections, but eventually people will figure out that minor parties are a legitimate option and vote for them. The white house will still likely be stuck bouncing between R and D but seats in congress and even possibly the senate could start to be held by minors, and if enough are then it becomes impossible for either of the majors to get a majority and it forces them to negotiate with said minors to pass legislation.

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charlesfire t1_ivma174 wrote

>I hear many people say ranked voting will solve problems. Not one has explained to me how that will happen.

It favorises moderate options, which should help with the polarization issue the US currently have.

Edit : Also, it's easier for smaller parties to get votes with ranked choice voting.

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Pete-PDX t1_ivph5sy wrote

So what that that smaller parties get votes - that does not change they still will not be a elected.

Your other explanation is why I asked the question in the first place. Your reply was - "it should" but no details how. Ranked choice - vote 1 slot for polarizing candidate - don't vote for any one else. my biggest issues with Ranked choice there is no standard in how would. Without a standard there is no way you can determine if it will change anything or nothing at all.

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