Vermont lawmakers consider ranked-choice voting

MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) - Ranked-choice voting in Vermont could be coming to a ballot near you.

Ranked-choice voting, also known as instant-runoff voting, lets you rank your candidates first, second, third and so on.

The winning candidate has to receive a majority of votes.

With ranked-choice voting, if nobody gets more than 50%, the candidate with the lowest support is eliminated. Then those who voted for the eliminated candidate have their vote counted toward their second choice.

A new bill in front of lawmakers would create a ranked-choice voting system for the 2024 presidential primary.

“We are routinely the state that votes outside of the two parties more than any other. Our voting system doesn’t deal with that. It solves several problems,” said Sen. Chris Pearson, D/P-Chittenden County.

Burlington repealed ranked-choice voting in 2010.

But lawmakers are reviewing a charter change that would reinstate it.

Maine and Alaska use the voting system for statewide elections.

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Ranked-choice voting proponents launch Better Ballot Burlington initiative

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