Ranked Choice Voting and Attitudes toward Democracy in the United States: Results from a Survey Experiment

Abstract

Ranked choice voting (RCV) is a voting system used commonly around the world, but only rarely in the United States. I present here a study that investigates how American voters act in an RCV election. Using a survey experiment design, I compare the election outcome and the behaviors and attitudes of voters in a plurality election to an RCV election. I find evidence suggesting RCV may not significantly change election outcomes and have no positive impact on voters’ confidence in elections and the democratic process. Study participants who voted in the RCV treatment were not any more likely to prefer RCV elections to plurality or majoritarian elections, and, overall, most voters do not prefer to vote in RCV elections and do not think that they result in fair election outcomes.Related Articles Boschler, Daniel. 2009. “” Politics & Policy 37 (): 735‐767. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2009.00196.x/full Kim, Myunghee. 2007. “.” Politics & Policy 35 (): 496‐521. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2007.00070.x/full Berggren, Heidi M., Gregory A. Fugate, Robert R. Preuhs, and Dennis R. Still. 2004. “.” Politics & Policy 32 (): 72‐96. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2004.tb00176.x/full Related MediaRanked Choice Voting Resource Center. n.d. http://www.rankedchoicevoting.org/ . 2017. “Ranked Choice Voting Has Its Red‐Carpet Moment in 2017.” March. http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/states-and-election-reform-the-canvass-march-2017.aspx Carrigan, Don, and Michael Kmack. 2017. “Maine Supreme Court Tackles Ranked Choice Voting.” April 13. http://www.wcsh6.com/news/politics/elections/maine-supreme-court-tackles-ranked-choice-voting/431027688 Raeburn, Paul. 2016. “How Election 2016 Would Be Different with Ranked‐Choice Voting.” October 17. http://www.newsweek.com/2016/10/28/election-2016-voting-science-510662.html Green, Nato. 2017. “Ranked‐Choice Voting a Barrier to Participation.” April 30. http://www.sfexaminer.com/ranked-choice-voting-barrier-participation/