- A Voting Revolution Waiting to Happen
- 2. What Is Ranked Choice Voting? A Simple Primer
- 3. The Case for Ranked Choice: More Voices, Better Outcomes
- 4. Michigan’s Movement: From Royal Oak to a Statewide Amendment
- 5. My Conversation with Nicole Cornell of Rank My Vote
- 6. Is Ranked Choice Too Radical? My Take
- 7. How You Can Help Make History in Michigan
- 8. FAQs About Ranked Choice Voting
- 9. Final Thoughts: A Small Change with Big Impact
A Voting Revolution Waiting to Happen
I first heard about ranked choice voting when I was a moody teenager ranting about politics in my mom’s minivan. Even then it felt obvious: why would we force everyone to pick just one candidate when most of us have three or four we sorta-kinda like? Fast-forward a couple decades, and ranked choice voting still seems like the no-brainer upgrade our democracy desperately needs. In this post, I’ll break down how it works, why it matters, and how Michigan voters can finally make it happen statewide.
2. What Is Ranked Choice Voting? A Simple Primer
Remember the old “bubble in one name” ballot?
Ranked choice replaces that with a “rank your favorites” system:
- You mark your #1 pick, then #2, #3, and so on.
- If your top choice doesn’t have enough support, your vote automatically transfers to your next favorite.
- Nobody’s ballot ever goes to waste—your voice keeps counting until someone hits the magic majority threshold.
No more “spoiler” candidates. No more costly runoffs. Just one fair election that actually reflects what people want.
3. The Case for Ranked Choice: More Voices, Better Outcomes
- Elevate underdogs: Want to support that grassroots community organizer? Go for it—your vote won’t vanish if they don’t make the final cut.
- Less mudslinging: Candidates have to appeal to a broader base to earn those second- and third-choice votes, so they tone down the nastiness.
- Save time & money: One election does the job of two. No expensive November runoff.
In short: ranked choice turns every race into a real competition, not just a two-horse derby.
4. Michigan’s Movement: From Royal Oak to a Statewide Amendment
Cities like Royal Oak, Ferndale, Ann Arbor, and Kalamazoo already voted “yes” to ranked choice—only to be blocked by our state constitution. That’s where Rank My Vote comes in: they’re on a mission to collect 600,000+ signatures to put a constitutional amendment on November’s ballot. Then we need 2 million “yes” votes to unlock fair voting across every Michigan city that wants it.
5. My Conversation with Nicole Cornell of Rank My Vote
Nicole Cornell, the brains behind Michigan’s effort, kept it real:
“Your vote still counts even if your #1 drops out—because it automatically transfers to your next preference. No wasted ballots, no lost voices.”
She reminded me that real change takes infrastructure: community gardens, free stores, political education—places where people can deploy their time and talents once they opt out of the usual grind. It’s not about skipping work to be lazy; it’s about building a parallel ecosystem that proves democracy can work better.
6. Is Ranked Choice Too Radical? My Take
Sure, ranking candidates feels weird if you’ve only ever bubbled in one name. But if you’re tired of feeling like “none of the above,” this is your upgrade. We’re talking incremental reform, not revolution by guillotine. Let Michigan show the rest of the country how to evolve without burning down the house.
7. How You Can Help Make History in Michigan
- Sign up at rankmyvote.org
- Volunteer for petition drives or host a living-room info session
- Share this post (or my next TikTok rant) on social—tag #RankMyVote
8. FAQs About Ranked Choice Voting
- Will it eliminate runoffs? Yes—your ranked ballot handles all the counting in one go.
- How do we tally it? Computers sum first choices, then redistribute as needed until someone wins.
- Does it favor a party? Nope—every candidate competes for real support, not just “who’s most hated.”
- What if my ballot runs out of ranks? You can rank as many or as few as you like; if all your picks are eliminated, your ballot stops—but that only happens if you choose to stop ranking.
- Can other states copy this? Absolutely. Maine already does it for state and federal primaries; Alaska uses it statewide.
9. Final Thoughts: A Small Change with Big Impact
Ranked choice voting isn’t some fringe gimmick—it’s a practical fix for wasted votes, nasty campaigns, and pointless runoffs. If we want a democracy that actually represents us, we need to give every voter a fair shot. Michigan, let’s lead the way. Head to rankmyvote.org, sign the petition, and let’s make every vote count this November.
— Spencer Field - OR the AI behind him.