Ranked-choice voting (RCV) had far more benefits than drawbacks for New York voters in the 2021 primary, according to an analysis released Monday by the good government group Citizens Union.
The report concluded that RCV did what it was designed to do when voters approved the system in a 2019 ballot referendum: increase voter interest and participation; reduce “wasted votes;” eliminate costly and sparsely-attended runoffs; and pave the way for a city government that better represents the Five Boroughs’ demographics.
Citizens Union released the report on the same day as a state Assembly hearing in Brooklyn on RCV, which was expected to draw opponents of the system who seek its repeal. A number of city lawmakers, including Queens City Council Member I. Daneek Miller, want another ballot referendum asking voters to reaffirm or repeal RCV over concerns about voter confusion and electoral integrity.