Why did Colorado progressives oppose ranked-choice voting?

Leftist advocates have long touted ranked-choice voting as a democratizing force. However, the same groups have largely criticized the Colorado 2024 voting bill, which would provide instant runoff elections for key state and federal races.

In addition to establishing ranked choice in general elections, Proposition 131 would implement four best primary schools for governor, attorney general and federal congressional races, among others. This new primary process will see candidates from all parties compete for four spots on the general election ballot—only the candidates with the most primary votes will advance.

The measure would theoretically allow four candidates from one party to run in the general election (or four candidates from four different parties). Critics say the change will increase the money and manpower needed to run a successful political campaign by making primaries as important as the general election.

“Right now, the Colorado primary tends to favor people who are more centrist or more connected,” he said. Boulder Progressives Executive Board Member Lisa Sweeney-Mearan. “We don’t believe this will solve this problem. We believe this will make the situation worse.”

Essentially, Proposition 131 seeks to scrap Colorado’s primary format and replace it with a winner-take-all system much like our current general election process. Detractors such as Sweeney-Mearan say the harm from so-called “jungle primaries” will offset the benefits of an instant general election runoff. Proponents, however, argue that any move toward a ranked choice system is a step in the right direction.

“While Colorado has some of the best records of voter integrity and access protection, no voting system is perfect.” Gov. Jared Polis posted a message on Facebook in September.. “I think instant runoff voting is better than our current system because it gives voters more choice.”

How does ranked choice affect political outcomes?

There’s no way to know in advance how ranked choice will affect politics in Colorado, but political scientists have conducted research in recent years that may provide some clues.

Alan Simmons is director of research at the Center for Public Policy and Leadership at the University of Illinois at Springfield. His research group published a study it examined how ranked-choice voting could influence the outcome of the US presidential election. In 2020, Simmons and his staff requested mock ballots from 62 survey respondents. Half of the respondents voted in a ranked format, which was clearly explained to them, and the other half voted in a standard format.

The researchers found that the ranked choice system clearly increased support for third-party candidates (Green Party and Libertarian Party candidates).

“People are relieved because they don’t feel like they’re wasting their votes,” Simmons told KUNC.

Interestingly, Simmons and other researchers also found that ranked choice voters tend to be more satisfied with election results.

“Your first choice may not win, but your second choice did,” Simmons said. “You still get that benefit. You also had to mark it on paper.”

Although ranked-choice voting is backed by a significant body of academic research, the top four primaries are relatively untested. Alaska became the first state to adopt this format in 2022. Alaska voters will vote to abolish system in favor of party primaries.

Voter education

All of the potential benefits of ranked choice depend on effective voter education efforts, Simmons said. Conversely, if voters do not understand the system, they will not be rewarded.

Boulder County Clerk and Recorder Molly Fitzpatrick echoed that sentiment. Her team supervised introduction of a new rating selection system in Boulder’s mayoral election last year. They were given three years to develop, test and implement the system after Boulder voters passed the 2020 voting law. According to Fitzpatrick, this was just enough time to make the information public.

“We wanted voters to understand what was going on,” Fitzpatrick told KUNC.

Fitzpatrick questioned the two-year timeline that Proposition 131 proposes to implement a statewide ranked choice system.

“There’s no management of a lot of this right now,” she said. “There are a lot of unanswered questions.”

However, The Senate bill passed last summer. The new format will now need to be tested in a pilot group of local counties before it is implemented statewide. The new law could delay Proposition 131 if it passes. Supporters, including Governor Polisargue that the delay will give election officials enough time to educate voters and correct flaws in the system.

Is there a better way?

Some ill-wishers including US Representative Lauren Boebertopposed ranked choice in Proposition 131. However, most opposition arguments instead focused on the measure’s four main provisions.

Opponents point to Maine Ranked Selection System as the best model. In 2017, the state introduced a ranked choice system in both primary and general elections for federal seats. The new system maintains partisan primaries, meaning voters choose one party to cast their primary votes for.

Detractors argue that Kent Thiry, a leading supporter of Proposition 131, stands to gain more from the top four candidates’ primaries than Colorado voters. Thiry is the CEO of health care company DaVita and has contributed nearly $1.5 million of personal funds to support the measure. according to Ballotpedia.

“Billionaires trying to corrupt elections are part of the problem with politics in the first place, and this measure makes it even easier for them to tilt the system in their favor,” Colorado Democratic Party Chairman Shad Murib wrote in a statement. “Proposition 131 is a measure that is too complicated and too expensive, created by billionaire Kent Thiry without the input of election clerks.”

Proponents, on the other hand, argue that the main effect of the new system will be to maximize the impact of each vote, regardless of the voters’ political affiliation.

“Ultimately, the November vote will give voters a better choice of candidates and a greater voice in our elections,” the magazine’s website says. Colorado Voters Firstan advocacy group formed around Proposition 131.

On Election Day, Coloradans will decide whether to overhaul the state’s election system or maintain the status quo. The result will impact state elections for years to come.