In 2023, seven local jurisdictions voted on local ballot measures to adopt or repeal ranked-choice voting, which is the second-highest number of measures in a year behind 2022 which had nine.
Voters in East Lansing, Kalamazoo, and Royal Oak, Michigan, approved measures on Nov. 7 to adopt ranked-choice voting for local offices. The voting system would take effect if the state passes a law authorizing its use at the local level. Currently, local jurisdictions in Michigan are not authorized to conduct their elections using RCV.
- Kalamazoo approved it by the widest margin with 70.9% of voters supporting the measure according to unofficial results.
- East Lansing Ballot Question 3 was approved with 52.5% of the vote.
- Royal Oak voters approved Proposal B with 50.5% of the vote.
In Michigan, RCV has also been adopted in Ferndale (2004) and Ann Arbor (2021).
Voters in Easthampton, Massachusetts, also approved an advisory measure to adopt multi-winner RCV with 61.7% of the vote. The question, which is non-binding, asked voters whether the city council should petition the state legislature to authorize multi-winner RCV for city council elections.
In Minnetonka, Minnesota, voters defeated a ballot measure that would have repealed RCV for mayoral and city council elections. It was defeated with 58.7% of the vote. Minnetonka adopted RCV in 2020 with the approval of Question 1 with 54.7% of the vote.
In March, voters in Burlington, Vermont, and Redondo Beach, California, approved ballot measures to adopt or expand RCV with 64.4% and 76.7%, respectively.
Between 1965 and 2023, 74 ranked-choice voting (RCV) local ballot measures were on the ballot in 54 jurisdictions in 18 states. Of that total, 67 local ballot measures proposed the adoption of RCV. Voters approved 52 (77.61%) and rejected 15 (22.39%). Seven local ballot measures proposed the repeal of RCV. Voters approved four (57.14%) and rejected three (42.86%).
California has had the most—12—local RCV ballot measures compared to other states.
