Don’t Let Ranked choice voting destroy Idaho elections
Preserve the integrity of our electoral process to ensure that Idahoans receive honest and fair elections.
Our Mission
To protect our cherished principle of “one person, one vote” and resist the push for Ranked Choice Voting:
- Advocate for candidates, legislation, and grassroots initiatives focused on enhancing election transparency and security.
- Ensure that Idaho’s election laws are straightforward and accessible to all voters.
- Create and distribute comprehensive educational materials that explain Idaho’s election processes and vote counting methods.
On November 5th, you have the opportunity to safeguard the integrity of Idaho’s elections.
How RCV Works
How RCV Works
Ranked Choice Voting May Fail to Account for All Votes
In conventional elections, every correctly filled-out ballot is counted towards the final result, but this isn’t true for Ranked Choice Voting (RCV).
In RCV, “exhausted ballots” are those that do not contribute to the final tally. Even if a voter meticulously follows the instructions, their ballot can be discarded if it only ranks candidates who have already been eliminated in earlier rounds. As the RCV process progresses and candidates are gradually removed, ballots may become exhausted if they no longer include any remaining candidates. Essentially, to ensure every vote counts in each round of an RCV election, voters must rank all candidates on the ballot, including those they may not support.
Ranked Choice Voting Undermines Transparency
Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) elections, which involve several rounds of tabulation to determine the winner, depend heavily on computer systems to adjust or discard ballots during each stage. The complexity of these processes makes it challenging to rapidly verify the accuracy of the computer’s operations. Consequently, there is a significant risk of errors going unnoticed. For instance, in a California RCV election, a data entry mistake was not detected in time, leading to the certification of an incorrect winner. This highlights the critical issue that without effective oversight and validation mechanisms, the reliance on computer systems in RCV elections can compromise the integrity and transparency of the election outcome.
Ranked Choice Voting May Fail to Account for All Votes
Adopting Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) entails major expenditures for acquiring new technology, providing extensive training, and revamping voter education programs. The Idaho ballot initiative acknowledges that the true financial impact is hard to predict, with estimates suggesting that taxpayers could be on the hook for as much as $40 million.
Current county and state computer systems are ill-equipped to handle RCV, requiring significant upgrades and the hiring of additional staff. Moreover, training for county and state personnel will be necessary to ensure proper implementation. Past attempts to educate voters about RCV have often led to ongoing confusion and unexpected costs, highlighting the challenges of transitioning to this voting system.
Ranked Choice Voting Can Be Difficult to Understand
This system requires voters to research and rank several candidates, potentially up to four or more. Consequently, RCV favors those with the time and resources to thoroughly investigate and prioritize candidates. As a result, the process tends to benefit individuals with more access to information and complicates voting for the average voter.