Cara Brown McCormick
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - Salt Lake City will continue using ranked choice voting (RCV) in its municipal elections, allowing voters to rank candidates in order of preference rather than selecting just one. The City Council reaffirmed their commitment to the system, following positive feedback from the 2023 elections.
“Instead of just picking your top candidate for a contest,” said Salt Lake County Clerk Lannie Chapman, “you’ll actually get to rank the candidates in the order that you prefer them.”
Ranked choice voting ensures majority support, reduces negative campaigning, and eliminates the need for costly runoffs.
In 2023,12 cities in Utah, including Salt Lake City, utilized RCV. Several reports have found that RCV is working as promised throughout the state and that voters appreciate the system.
An effort to end Utah’s use of RCV early was defeated in the Utah Senate in March 2024, allowing the pilot programs to continue through the 2025 election. Senators voted 15-12 against HB290, which passed the House on a vote of 43-26.
Election officials in Salt Lake are launching a public awareness campaign this spring to educate voters on how to fill out their ballots and how the ranked choice counting process works. The municipal election is scheduled for November 4, 2025.
Also known as instant-runoff voting, the pilot program allowing for municipal use of RCV in Utah is set to expire in 2026.