| London Lyle | Times-Call |
A group of ranked choice voting supporters stayed in the Longmont City Council chambers until after midnight Wednesday morning to watch the council vote 6-1 to send a ballot measure to voters that could change how future city elections are conducted. The vote came shortly after midnight following a lengthy council meeting that stretched more than six hours.
Our gold standard election system deserves a gold standard voting method
If approved by voters in November, the measure would amend the city charter to allow Longmont to adopt ranked choice voting beginning with the 2029 municipal election, giving the city time for voter education and implementation. The proposal would also eventually allow the city to use multi-winner ranked choice voting if it is approved by the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office.
Among those speaking in favor was Dillon Rankin, cofounder of Ranked Choice Voting for Longmont, who urged the council to let voters decide the issue.
“I am just of the opinion that our gold standard election system deserves a gold standard voting method to go with it,” Rankin said. He argued ranked choice voting allows voters “to rank your candidates honestly, as opposed to strategically,” while reducing concerns about vote-splitting among similar candidates.