RCV
California RCV Institute
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Democracy is at risk — act now

Fix elections so extremists can’t win by dividing us.

Our winner-take-all system rewards narrow bases, wasted votes, and low-turnout primaries. Ranked choice voting (RCV) is a simple upgrade that makes candidates earn broad support and gives every voter a stronger voice.

Tax-deductible gift to a 501(c)(3) education nonprofit.

The problem isn’t voters. It’s the rules of the game.

Our current election rules push politics toward division and gridlock. Here’s how ranked choice voting changes that.

Polarization

RCV rewards broad appeal, not just the loudest extremes.

Today, candidates often win by firing up a narrow base. With RCV, they must earn first-, second-, and third-choice support to win. That encourages hopeful, cross-group campaigning instead of constant fear-mongering.

Election fairness

RCV ends the spoiler effect and wasted votes.

Under the old rules, similar candidates can split the vote and hand victory to someone most voters dislike. With RCV, if your top choice can’t win, your vote transfers to your next choice. The result: winners who actually represent majority support.

Representation

RCV makes high-turnout elections the ones that count.

Low-turnout primaries and runoffs often decide races before most people vote. RCV lets communities settle elections in a single, high-turnout election, so the people who show up in November are the ones who truly choose.

How ranked choice voting works

RCV keeps the ballot simple: you rank candidates 1st, 2nd, 3rd. If your top choice doesn’t have enough support, your vote moves to your next choice.

Watch: a short explainer on how RCV turns split votes into majority winners without confusing ballots or complicated steps.
Nationwide movement

Find ranked choice voting efforts in your state.

Ranked choice voting isn’t just a California idea. People in cities and states across the country are organizing to bring better elections to their communities.

See RCV nonprofits nationwide → Opens a separate resource — your donation here still supports the California RCV Institute.

Why your support matters right now

The California RCV Institute is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) that educates voters, community leaders, and election officials about ranked choice voting and how to implement it responsibly.

Nonpartisan education, not party politics. We help communities understand how RCV works, what problems it solves, and how to design reforms that work for everyone.
Support for election administrators. We provide training, guidance, and connections to RCV resources so local officials can run RCV elections that are secure, trusted, and easy for voters to use.
Tools for voters and community leaders. Your gift powers local community outreach, research, and volunteer organizing that make it easy for people to talk about RCV in their own communities.
National impact from California. California has often been a proving ground for democracy reforms. When RCV succeeds here, it provides a roadmap and data for efforts across the country. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}