(The Center Square) – Arlington County voted to continue using ranked choice voting for local elections through 2025, solidifying its role as the first county in Virginia to implement the system.
Loudon County officials are also considering adopting RCV, though state laws currently restrict its use to city council and county board races, preventing its adoption for state and federal elections.
Ranked choice voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference: first choice, second choice and so on. If no candidate secures the majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated.
Voters who selected the eliminated candidate as their first choice then have their votes counted for their next choice, and the process is repeated until a candidate reaches majority support.
On Feb. 22, the Arlington County Board voted 4-0 to extend the use of RCV for the 2025 County Board general elections. One member abstained and cited concerns over voter education funding.
JD Spain, the newest member of the Arlington County Board, expressed concerns about the county’s voter education initiatives and emphasized the need for increased financial support for community outreach.
“Some states have put a lot of money into ranked choice voting for implementation. Some communities have as well,” he said. “We have not heard — I have not heard — what we are going to do moving forward to engage the community. I heard we need to — we must — but it’s going to cost money,” said Spain.
Meredith Sumpter, an Arlington resident and CEO of FairVote, testified that RCV has positively impacted local elections.
“Over the last two years, we’ve seen RCV improve both the process and outcomes of our local elections here in Arlington. Ranked choice voting has given Arlington voters the freedom to support their favorite candidates without fear of wasting their votes. It has brought Arlington residents together around priorities we share,” said Sumpter.
She added, “I am grateful to be an Arlingtonian and proud of our County Board for once again leading the Commonwealth in using ranked choice voting to empower all voters with more say, and more choice in who represents us.”
The conversation surrounding RCV in Virginia continues to grow, as Loudoun County recently received a briefing on how the program could be implemented and its potential impact. Still, no formal vote has been scheduled.
Sally Hudson, Executive Director for Ranked Choice Virginia, said in an email to The Center Square that many of the concerns raised in Loudoun are common among local leaders considering RCV, but national data from jurisdictions using the system, like Maine and Alaska, help answer those questions. She noted that RCV has been implemented in 50 cities across the country.
Charlottesville also approved RC
Arlington County voted to continue using ranked choice voting for local elections through 2025, solidifying its role as the first county in Virginia to implement the system.
Loudon County officials are also considering adopting RCV, though state laws currently restrict its use to city council and county board races, preventing its adoption for state and federal elections.
Ranked choice voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference: first choice, second choice, and so on. If no candidate secures the majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated.
Voters who selected the eliminated candidate as their first choice then have their votes counted for their next choice, and the process is repeated until a candidate reaches majority support.
On Feb. 22, the Arlington County Board voted 4-0 to extend the use of RCV for the 2025 County Board general elections. One member abstained and cited concerns over voter education funding.
JD Spain, the newest member of the Arlington County Board, expressed concerns about the county’s voter education initiatives and emphasized the need for increased financial support for community outreach.
“Some states have put a lot of money into ranked choice voting for implementation. Some communities have as well,” he said. “We have not heard — I have not heard — what we are going to do moving forward to engage the community. I heard we need to — we must — but it’s going to cost money,” said Spain.
Meredith Sumpter, an Arlington resident and CEO of FairVote, testified that RCV has positively impacted local elections.
“Over the last two years, we’ve seen RCV improve both the process and outcomes of our local elections here in Arlington. Ranked choice voting has given Arlington voters the freedom to support their favorite candidates without fear of wasting their votes. It has brought Arlington residents together around priorities we share,” said Sumpter.
She added, “I am grateful to be an Arlingtonian and proud of our County Board for once again leading the Commonwealth in using ranked choice voting to empower all voters with more say, and more choice in who represents us.”
The conversation surrounding RCV in Virginia continues to grow, as Loudoun County recently received a briefing on how the program could be implemented and its potential impact. Still, no formal vote has been scheduled.
Sally Hudson, Executive Director for Ranked Choice Virginia, said in an email to The Center Square that many of the concerns raised in Loudoun are common among local leaders considering RCV, but national data from jurisdictions using the system, like Maine and Alaska, help answer those questions. She noted that RCV has been implemented in 50 cities across the country.
Charlottesville also approved RVC for its city council elections in September 2024, with the first election using the system set for this year. Despite the local interest, Virginia law restricts the use of RCV to city council and county board elections, preventing its use in statewide or federal primaries and general elections.
During discussions in Loudoun County, some officials had raised concerns over voter deterrence, minority representation, and election night delays.
Supervisor Kershner questioned whether RCV might reduce voter participation, though Arlington data showed that the share of voters who completed the ‘County Board’ section on their ballots stayed at 86% in 2020, before the use of RCV, and 2024.
Studies outside of Virginia indicate RCV jurisdictions had higher local election turnout.
State elections officials also raised about ballot design and printing costs under the program.
Earlier in the year, the General Assembly passed legislation to give localities more control over RCV elections, but the bill was narrowed in the House, leaving the key restrictions in place.
A survey found that in jurisdictions where RCV has been implemented, most voters reported understanding the system and its impact on elections.
for its city council elections in September 2024, with the first election using the system set for this year. Despite the local interest, Virginia law restricts the use of RCV to city council and county board elections, preventing its use in statewide or federal primaries and general elections.
During discussions in Loudoun County, some officials had raised concerns over voter deterrence, minority representation, and election night delays.
Supervisor Caleb A. Kershner questioned whether RCV might reduce voter participation, though Arlington data showed that the share of voters who completed the ‘County Board’ section on their ballots stayed at 86% in 2020, before the use of RCV, and 2024.
Studies outside of Virginia indicate RCV jurisdictions had higher local election turnout.
State elections officials also raised about ballot design and printing costs under the program.
Earlier in the year, the General Assembly passed legislation to give localities more control over RCV elections, but the bill was narrowed in the House, leaving the key restrictions in place.
A survey found that in jurisdictions where RCV has been implemented, most voters reported understanding the system and its impact on elections.
