Legislature should approve expansion of ranked-choice voting

Published on February 21, 2023

To the Editor:

We in St. Louis Park, along with four other cities, have already set an example for Minnesota by electing our leaders using ranked choice voting. It’s time to take this crucial tool of democratic renewal statewide, and a bare majority of our legislators are poised to pass it. They need your encouragement.

We believe RCV is key to keeping our democracy healthy because in a time of extreme polarization, RCV encourages and rewards engagement by voters from across the political spectrum, disadvantages extremism in politicians and pulls us together toward moderate but results-oriented political action.

In any election with three or more candidates, ranked choice voting allows you to rank your preferred candidates. Even if your top choice does not win, your vote still counts by going to your second choice. This assures that any winning candidate has majority support, encourages politicians to appeal to a wider spectrum of voters, reduces “gaming” the system and eliminates “spoiler” candidates.

What could make better sense in thousands of statewide and local races across Minnesota? Please call your St. Louis Park representatives in St. Paul to support ranked choice voting for Minnesota!

Rob and Tess Machalek

St. Louis Park

Originally published in the Sun Sailor
Published on February 16, 2023

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