| Michael Bennet |
Washington, D.C. — Following Election Day, U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Angus King (I-Maine) reintroduced the Voter Choice Act to support adoption of a ranked choice voting (RCV) model for elections, also known as an “instant runoff.” The Voter Choice Act provides $40 million in federal grants to cover up to 50 percent of the cost for state and local governments that choose to adopt RCV.
“As partisanship continues to harm our democracy and impede progress, we need to make government work for the American people,” said Bennet. “Ranked choice voting gives people more options at the ballot box, increases political competition, eliminates costly runoffs, and rewards candidates who appeal to the broadest swath of voters. Our bill provides vital support for states and local governments that choose to make this important transition.”
This bill would force candidates to appeal to a broader swath of their electorate
“In the face of threats that undercut the fundamental right to vote for millions of Americans, we must act to protect our democracy,” said King. “The Voter Choice Act would help communities advance the vast majority of voters’ priorities by instituting ranked choice voting, like the system that Maine already uses for its primary and federal elections. In such a polarized political climate, this bill would force candidates to appeal to a broader swath of their electorate rather than a small, outspoken faction. We must continue working towards improving our great democracy and that begins with restoring faith in our electoral system.”
RCV is the fastest-growing election reform in America. As of July 2023 , RCV has reached 51 jurisdictions home to 13 million voters, including Basalt, Boulder, Broomfield, Carbondale, and Telluride, Colorado.