Shawn Griffiths
Ranked choice voting (RCV) continues to see a surge in momentum across the U.S. However, the state that has seen the largest reform growth in the last 5 years -- Massachusetts -- has received little attention. This is because the 10 cities that have approved RCV have not been able to implement it due to state law.
Put simply, the Commonwealth dictates that cities and townships – even major metropolitans like Boston – must get approval from the legislature (called the General Court) to make systemic changes to their elections. This includes changes to voting methods, primary types, and the size of their city councils.
Cities and towns do this by filing what is called a home rule petition.
Ten localities have filed such a petition for RCV, but the legislature has been slow to act on them – that is, until Thursday, November 13, when the General Court’s Joint Committee on Election Laws held a hearing on most of these petitions.
Specifically, the committee considered the petitions of Acton, Amherst, Arlington, Brookline, Concord, Easthampton, Lexington, and Northampton, along with a bill (S.531) that allows local jurisdictions to be exempt from submitting a home rule petition if they want to adopt RCV.
It is noteworthy that the Boston City Council approved a home rule petition to use RCV earlier this year, but its petition was not up for consideration. Bedford’s RCV petition -- which was recently approved by voters -- was also not on the docket.
Some of these cities have waited a long time for the legislature to act. Concord has now sent two RCV-related petitions. Amherst submitted its petition back in 2018.
A coalition of reformers, led by Voter Choice Massachusetts and Partners in Democracy, mobilized RCV supporters and organized testimony ahead of the committee hearing Thursday. Along with these two groups, the “Right to Rank” coalition includes:
- American Federation of Teachers
- Cape Verdean Association of Boston
- Common Cause Massachusetts
- FairVote
- League of Women Voters of Massachusetts
- Massachusetts Voter Table
- MassVOTE
- NAACP New England Area Conference
- Partners in Democracy
- Progressive Massachusetts
- Rank the Vote
- Ranked Choice Boston
- Reclaim Roxbury
- RepresentWomen
- Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts
- Veterans for All Voters
- Voter Choice Massachusetts
Testimony gathered included Massachusetts residents who support RCV, as well as prominent public officials like Boston City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune, who said RCV “offers a simple idea with a big impact.”
When voters can rank candidates rather than choose just one, we open the doors to more voices, more choices, and a more responsive government.”
Massachusetts State Senator Becca Rausch, the author of the local option bill, also submitted her testimony to Voter Choice Massachusetts. She said her bill streamlines RCV implementation where voters want it and praised RCV for its impact on elections.
It is already well established that RCV increases kindness on the campaign trail, improves ballot equity by avoiding the problem of ballot splitting, making space for non-traditional candidates to run, including women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ community, and religious and ethnic minorities, and it enhances truer representation in office.”
Rausch added that S.531 is not a mandate. It is about giving communities control over what election systems work best for them. RCV is growing in popularity in the Commonwealth, yet right now the fate of local elections is decided by people who are outside these communities.
“We support the communities hoping to adopt ranked choice voting in their local elections, and we also think communities shouldn’t need the legislature’s permission to do so,” said John Griffin, Managing Partner of Strategy for Partners in Democracy.
An Act providing a local option for ranked choice voting in municipal elections (S.531) would deliver a big boost for democracy — giving people more power to shape their local elections and building a greater sense of trust and investment in our democratic processes."
"Massachusetts communities have been clear: let cities and towns choose ranked choice voting for themselves,” said Voter Choice Massachusetts Executive Director Ed Shoemaker.
After a week of RCV wins and with multiple home rule petitions before the Legislature, the momentum – and the public mandate – are squarely behind local control and majority-winner elections."
RCV supporters in Massachusetts celebrated 4 additional milestones for the reform on November 3 and 4.
On November 3, Bedford Special Town Meeting voters approved Article 5 to file a RCV home rule petition with the legislature. The initiative’s success marked the culmination of a 2-year education effort led by RCV Bedford founders Madeleine Kando and Ethan Strominger.
“It was moving to see some of Bedford’s most dedicated residents discuss and reach a consensus at our Special Town Meeting on the value of ranked choice voting for Bedford local elections,” said Kando.
On Election Day, 89% of Somerville voters approved a charter referendum that establishes a “Ranked Choice Voting Implementation Committee,” which according to Voter Choice Massachusetts puts the city on a path to use the reform.
“I've been working with Somerville residents for many years to bring RCV to the city's elections,” said Greg Dennis, Board Chair and Policy Director of Voter Choice Mass.
Somerville voters have consistently demonstrated widespread support for RCV, and it's wonderful to see that they will now have a deliberative process to finalize the implementation.”
In Cambridge, 75% of voters approved changes to the city charter that will upgrade the counting method used for its proportional RCV elections. Cambridge has had RCV in place for 80 years, making it the longest running city to use the reform in the United States.
Easthampton also conducted an RCV election for mayor. While it is the city’s second use of RCV, it is the first time an election triggered an instant runoff. Interim Mayor Salem Derby beat two opponents, garnering 40% of first-choice selections and 56% of the vote in the second round.