Ranked Choice Voting

Ranked choice voting (RCV) is an electoral and political reform sweeping across North America, already adopted in a variety of places, including New York City, the state of Maine, and cities and towns in Minnesota, California, and Utah. In localities using RCV, voters don't cast just a single vote for one candidate, but rank candidates according to preference: first choice, second choice, third, and so forth. To be elected, a candidate must win a majority--not a plurality--of votes. Though touted by proponents as way to enhance voter satisfaction with elections, promote trust in government, and increase voter turnout, the implementation of RCV is not without its challenges.

In Ranked Choice Voting, James W. Endersby and Michael J. Towle provide a comprehensive and balanced analysis of RCV systems, drawing from examples across the United States to evaluate how they function. Using a wealth of data from observed elections outcomes to election theory, from political history to interviews with advocates and election administrators, the authors detail the history, strengths, and weaknesses of RCV and preferential voting more generally. Broad-ranging, even-handed, and evidence-based, this authoritative overview of an increasingly popular format for democratic elections in the US will appeal to anyone interested in electoral reform and American democracy more generally.

James W. Endersby is a Professor of Political Science at Harry S Truman School of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Missouri as well as affiliated faculty at the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy. He teaches courses in American politics, political methodology, and Canadian politics. He earned a Ph.D. in Government from the University of Texas. In addition to numerous journal articles, he is coauthor of Lloyd Gaines and the Fight to Segregation (with William T. Horner) and The Craft of Political Research (with W. Phillps Shively). He lives in Columbia, Missouri, with his wife and three children.

Michael J. Towle is a Professor of Political Science at Mount St. Mary's University (MD) where he teaches a variety of courses, mostly about American national government. He earned his B.A. in Government from Georgetown University and his Ph.D. in Government from the University of Texas. In addition to several journal articles, he is also the author of Out of Touch: The Presidency and Public Opinion. He lives in Westminster, Maryland, with his wife and two sons.

Introduction
1. Ranked Choice Voting and Election Reform
2. Ranked Choice Voting in the Family of Electoral Systems
3. Local Elections and Ranked Choice
4. RCV in Partisan and State Elections
5. RCV in State and Federal Elections
6. Evaluation of RCV Elections
7. Completing and Counting Ballots
8. Evaluating RCV
Interviews
Appendices
Notes
References