Congressmen introduce bill aimed at lowering partisan temperature

US Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Representative Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) have introduced a bill that aims to lower partisan temperature by rewarding candidates who appeal to a wide majority of voters, dissuading aggressive and merciless politics and providing voters with more choices.

The Voter Choice Act, introduced on Thursday, supports state and local governments that transition to a ranked choice voting, or RCV, elections model.

Providing $40 million in federal grants, the bill covers up to 50% of the cost for state and local governments selecting to transition to RCV.

In most elections in the US today, the candidate with most votes is the winner. This system, however, can make a candidate win even if they get much less than a majority of all votes cast. Furthermore, voters who support third parties can unintentionally make candidates with completely opposing views victorious. As a result, elections can become less representative of the voters and dissuade political contest.

Rather than voting for one candidate, the RCV model lets voters rank candidates according to their preferences. If no candidate gets a majority following counting of first choices, the candidate coming last is eliminated. People who voted for the eliminated candidate then get their votes counted for the next option. This repeats until there is a candidate with a majority.

Maine has embraced RCV for all federal elections, whereas South Carolina and Alabama have adopted the model to enable out-of-the-country and military voters to take part in runoff elections. Local governments in Tennessee, Colorado, New Mexico and Minnesota have also utilized some form of the model for municipal elections.  

All these early evidences support that, by encouraging candidates to appeal to a wide range of voters, RCV can dissuade excessive partisanship, provide incentive for a greater attention on significant problems and guarantee that winning candidates better mirror the views of most voters.

Senator Bennet said, “A partisan fever is imperiling our democracy. I believe ranked choice voting can lower the temperature by giving voters more choices, discouraging slash-and-burn politics, and rewarding candidates who appeal to a broad majority of voters. Our bill encourages states and local governments that wish to adopt this promising reform.”

Senator King stated, “When it comes down to it, Ranked Choice Voting is essentially an instant runoff – with the added benefit of capturing the voters’ priorities on election day, and without the added expense of a completely new election.

He added, “By incentivizing candidates to build consensus rather than amplify divisions, we can take important steps to de-escalate the polarized political conflict we see all around us. If state and local governments choose to pursue Ranked Choice Voting, I’m all for helping them implement the process.”

Congressman Phillips commented, “Restoring faith in government begins with improving our electoral system. Ranked Choice Voting is simple, empowers voters, and rewards candidates who broaden support beyond their base. This bill provides resources to communities seeking change without pressuring any that do not. I am proud to work with Sens. Bennet and King on this important initiative and will advocate for its passage in the House.”