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Absolute Majority & Exhausted Ballots

Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) has been promoted as a voting system that aims to achieve an "absolute majority" by ensuring that the winning candidate or option receives more than half of the total votes. However, there are several factors that raise concerns about whether RCV truly achieves this goal and represents the choice of all participating voters.

One issue that affects the attainment of an absolute majority in RCV is the inclusion of exhausted ballots. These are ballots that do not count towards the final tally in RCV elections. Even correctly filled-out ballots can be discarded if the ranked candidates are no longer in contention. As candidates are eliminated through successive rounds of tabulation, voters who only ranked candidates that have been eliminated may have their ballots exhausted. This means that for a voter's voice to be fully counted in every round of an RCV election, they must rank all candidates on the ballot, even those they may not support. The exclusion of exhausted ballots can impact the overall distribution of votes and potentially skew the outcome.

The issue of ballot exhaustion raises questions about whether RCV accurately represents the preferences of all participating voters. While RCV claims to protect majority rule, it can create an artificial majority by eliminating the votes of the lowest-scoring candidates during successive tabulations. Elections conducted in Maine and Alaska, where RCV has been implemented, have found that a significant proportion of RCV victors did not win by a majority (50%+1) of the total votes cast. This raises doubts about the ability of RCV to truly achieve an absolute majority and accurately reflect the will of the electorate.

In addition to ballot exhaustion, errors such as duplicate votes, overvotes, and skipped ranks further impact the accuracy and inclusivity of RCV results. These errors can occur when voters mistakenly give multiple candidates the same rank, rank the same candidate multiple times, or leave gaps in their ranking. These errors introduce complexities and potential inconsistencies in the tabulation process, which can undermine the fairness and accuracy of the election outcomes.

Considering these factors, the claim that RCV achieves an "absolute majority" may be called into question. The inclusion of exhausted ballots, along with errors in the voting process, can affect the true representation of voter preferences and challenge the notion of achieving a clear majority in RCV elections. It is essential to carefully evaluate the implementation and potential drawbacks of RCV to ensure that it indeed fulfills its claims of promoting majority rule and accurately reflecting the will of the voters.

Ranked-choice voting (RCV) is promoted as a system that ensures an "absolute majority" by considering voter preferences through multiple rounds of tabulation. However, the inclusion of exhausted ballots, which are not counted towards the final tally, raises concerns about whether RCV truly achieves its intended goal. This section examines the issue of exhausted ballots in RCV and its potential impact on representation and voter participation. It also highlights specific examples from New York City and Alaska that shed light on this issue.

1. Exhausted Ballots in RCV:

Exhausted ballots refer to ballots that do not count towards the final vote tally in RCV elections. Even correctly filled-out ballots can be discarded if the ranked candidates are eliminated from contention. This exclusion of exhausted ballots can influence the distribution of votes and potentially skew the outcome of the election.

2. Representation Concerns in RCV:

The issue of ballot exhaustion raises questions about whether RCV accurately represents the preferences of all participating voters. Studies conducted in jurisdictions like Maine have found that a significant proportion of RCV victors did not win by a majority of the total votes cast. This raises doubts about the ability of RCV to achieve an absolute majority and accurately reflect the will of the electorate.

3. Errors and Inconsistencies in RCV:

Apart from exhausted ballots, errors such as duplicate votes, overvotes, and skipped ranks further impact the accuracy and inclusivity of RCV results. These errors can introduce complexities and potential inconsistencies in the tabulation process, undermining the fairness and accuracy of election outcomes.

Challenges in New York City and Alaska

Challenges in New York City:

During the initial implementation of RCV in New York City's 2021 Democratic primary elections, several challenges arose. Technical difficulties and miscounts led to confusion and delays in the tabulation process. Voter education efforts were criticized for inadequately providing information, potentially disenfranchising certain communities. Additionally, ballot design issues, such as confusing layouts and unclear instructions, contributed to errors and invalidated ballots.

Voter Turnout Concerns in Alaska:

Alaska experienced historically low voter turnout, with only 44% participation in November 2022. While multiple factors contribute to low turnout, the inclusion of exhausted ballots and other challenges associated with RCV implementation raised concerns about the system's effectiveness and efficiency.

Evaluating RCV's Impact on Representation:

The occurrence of exhausted ballots in both New York City and Alaska underscores the need for a comprehensive evaluation of RCV's impact on representation and voter participation. It is crucial to address the complexities and potential pitfalls associated with the system to ensure that every vote truly matters and contributes to the democratic process.

Exhausted ballots present a significant challenge in the implementation of ranked-choice voting. The exclusion of these ballots raises concerns about representation and the accurate reflection of voter preferences. When combined with errors and inconsistencies in the voting process, the claim of achieving an "absolute majority" through RCV becomes questionable. It is essential to thoroughly examine the impact of exhausted ballots and other challenges associated with RCV to refine the system, enhance its accuracy, and maintain trust in the democratic process.

Exhausted Ballots In Alaska

Impact of Exhausted Ballots and Voter Disenfranchisement in Alaska

The issue of exhausted ballots, where certain ballots do not contribute to the final vote tally, has been observed not only in Alaska but also in other jurisdictions that have implemented ranked-choice voting systems. The first ranked-choice primary in New York City in 2021 serves as a notable example, with a significant proportion of "exhausted" primary ballots, raising concerns about the system's effectiveness in accurately reflecting voter preferences.

The presence of exhausted ballots highlights a potential flaw in ranked-choice voting, where a substantial portion of voters' choices may not ultimately count towards the final outcome. This raises concerns about voter disenfranchisement and the dilution of individual voices in the electoral process.

When combined with examples from Alaska, where a notable percentage of votes in key races were discarded as non-transferable, the issue of exhausted ballots becomes even more significant. It points to a broader trend of voter preferences not being adequately accounted for or accurately reflected in the final election outcomes.

The occurrence of exhausted ballots in both Alaska and New York City underscores the need for a comprehensive examination of the ranked-choice voting system and its potential impact on voter participation, comprehension, and the overall integrity of elections. It calls for a critical evaluation of the complexities and potential pitfalls associated with the system to ensure that every vote truly matters and contributes to the democratic process.

As jurisdictions continue to explore and implement ranked-choice voting, addressing the issue of exhausted ballots becomes crucial. It is important to develop solutions that minimize the occurrence of exhausted ballots and maximize the inclusion of voter preferences in the final election results. This necessitates ongoing research, public discourse, and a commitment to refining the ranked-choice voting system to enhance its accuracy, transparency, and ability to faithfully represent the will of the people.

Exhausted ballots in elections with ranked-choice voting have the potential to silence voters and undermine the principle of majority rule. It is essential to recognize this impact and strive for a voting system that truly represents the choice of all voters who participate, ensuring that their voices are not disregarded or invalidated during the tabulation process.

Other Findings on Exhausted Ballots and Majority Winner Using Rank Choice Voting

"Too often, proponents of ballot initiatives advance lofty claims to win support at the ballot box."

"In examining 96 ranked-choice voting races from across the country where additional rounds of tabulation were necessary to declare a winner, The Maine Heritage Policy Center concludes that the eventual winner failed to receive a true majority 61% of the time.'

"the claim that ranked-choice voting always provides a majority winner ... is false and deserves further scrutiny from voters."

"While candidates sometimes do receive a majority of the total votes cast, a winner is often declared only after a large number of exhausted ballots have been removed from the final denominator."

http://alaskapolicyforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2020-10-APF-Ranked-Choice-Voting-Report.pdf

https://www.equal.vote/star_vs_rcv