Washington DC: Ranked Choice Voting for municipal elections, primary reform

Washington DCRanked Choice Voting for municipal elections, primary reform

Campaign Status: Active

The Policy

Pass Ranked Choice Voting and open partisan primaries to independent voters

Background

In May of last year, the Make All Votes Count DC Coalition has been working to qualify an initiative for the ballot that would transform DC elections with ranked choice voting and enfranchise the 1 in 6 independent voters who currently cannot participate in taxpayer-funded party primaries. They’ve overcome a major legal challenge from the D.C. Democratic Party, and are now gathering signatures to put the question before voters in November.

Who’s Involved?

Make All Votes Count DC is led by Lisa D. T. Rice, a native Washingtonian and election reform champion who serves the local community as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner in Ward 7. The campaign is endorsed and supported by the League of Women Voters of DC, Rank the Vote, Veterans for All Voters, DC for Democracy, and many others. The full list of endorsements can be found on their website.

GET INVOLVED

Many voters don’t know about crucial ballot measures like this which is why we need your help to reach 2 million+ voters before this year’s election.

You can pitch in right now from the comfort of your home by textbanking and phonebanking. Sign up and make history this election.

The Latest On This Campaign

Ranked Choice Voting Clears Another Hurdle to Ballot Initiative, Paves Way for More Candidates in DC Primaries

Apr 5 2024

A ballot initiative that would introduce ranked-choice voting to Washington, D.C. is one step closer to appearing before the District’s voters after a D.C. Superior Court judge dismissed a lawsuit March 28 that attempted to block the initiative.

How Women are Fighting for More Equitable Elections Through Ranked-Choice Voting

Apr 3 2024

Aiming for the Nov. 2024 ballot, the initiative seeks to implement RCV allowing voters to rank up to five candidates in order of preference and “permit any voter who is not registered with a political party to vote in the primary election of that voter’s choosing for all offices.”

D.C. Democrats sue to block ranked-choice voting ballot measure

Aug 8 2023

“The DC Democratic Party is so committed to preventing DC voters from deciding on these reforms for themselves, that is, being able to decide on the future of DC’s electoral process, they have filed a lawsuit that is not ripe, has no merit, and, we believe, will ultimately fail."