House Republicans aim to prohibit ranked choice voting in DC elections.

House Republicans Seek to Ban Ranked Choice Voting in Washington, D.C.

House Republicans are once again taking aim at local election administration in Washington, D.C. This time, they are seeking to prohibit the use of ranked choice voting in all local and federal elections. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) introduced a bill on Friday that would ban the city from utilizing ranked choice voting on any ballot, including for elections, initiatives, or referendums. Lawler argues that this proposed process “violates the principles of democracy of one person, one vote, one choice.”

Opposing Views on Ranked Choice Voting

Lawler claims that ranked choice voting allows certain Americans to cast multiple ballots for office, diluting the influence of other voters. He believes that elections should be about choosing the candidates and policies you support, rather than ranking them in order of preference.

On the other hand, proponents of ranked choice voting argue that it would ensure that the candidate with the broadest support wins. They believe that this system would help elect candidates closer to the center, rather than those who lean too heavily to either side. They also emphasize that ranked choice voting is not a partisan issue and that their campaign’s coalition spans the entire political spectrum.

The Make All Votes Count Act of 2024

The Make All Votes Count DC group has proposed a ballot initiative to implement ranked choice voting for all elections in Washington, D.C. Under this system, voters would be able to list candidates in a preferential order, ranking them from first to fourth. The candidate with the fewest votes in the first round would be eliminated, and their second-choice votes would be distributed to other candidates. This process would continue until only one candidate remains standing.

Lisa D. T. Rice, a spokeswoman for Make All Votes Count, introduced the ballot initiative, stating that it aims to make it easier to hold local politicians accountable. She emphasizes that the initiative is not about partisanship and that it would help end voter suppression for over 86,000 D.C. voters who choose not to belong to a political party. Rice believes that the decision should be left to the people of D.C. through a vote.

Critics and Opposition

However, critics argue that ranked choice voting is unnecessarily complicated and does little to ensure the election of moderate candidates. They point to recent attempts at implementing ranked choice voting that resulted in confusion and delays. Rep. Claudia Tenney, co-chair of the House Election Integrity Caucus, opposes ranked choice voting and supports Lawler’s D.C. One Vote One Choice Act. Tenney believes that this legislation is a step towards restoring voters’ trust in the process and preventing election chaos and confusion.

House Republicans’ Efforts to Control Election Administration

Lawler’s bill is just one of many introduced by House Republicans seeking to exert control over Washington’s election administration. Other Republicans, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Dusty Johnson, Jenniffer Gonzalez, Mike Bost, and Glenn Grothman, have introduced or plan to introduce bills targeting various aspects of the city’s election system. These bills range from requiring photo ID to vote to overturning a D.C. law allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections and making it illegal for a city resident to collect ballots from other voters.

Reps. Ben Cline, Ralph Norman, and Laurel Lee are also expected to file bills related to D.C. election laws, although the details are not yet clear.

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