| Meghin Moore | VPM |
The city of Charlottesville will become the second locality in Virginia to use ranked choice voting as a vote method in a local election, after Arlington County.
The ordinance’s second reading was done at Tuesday’s meeting, which led to the Charlottesville City Council approving the use of ranked choice voting for its June 2025 council primary in a 4–1 vote.
A new era of voter empowerment
Ahead of the vote, many speakers signed up to offer their support of the voting method, including Nicholas Co, a Navy veteran who resides in the city and is a state volunteer with Veterans for All Voters.
“You’re ushering in a new era of voter empowerment. This system opens up our elections, giving every eligible voter the freedom to truly express their preferences without fears of wasting their vote,” Co said. He added that adopting ranked choice voting enriches political discourse and “strengthens the fabric of our community.”