Andrew Yang joined New Yorkers in voting “yes” on Ranked Choice Voting.
Trust in our government is at an all-time low, which is why Yang released a comprehensive democracy platform that includes Ranked Choice Voting. Lawrence Lessig’s Equal Citizens Project rates Yang’s package of reforms an A+.
“I am proposing a New Way Forward that makes sure our voices matter on Election Day,” said Yang. “Ranked Choice Voting can encourage more people to participate and engage in the political process. It allows for citizens to vote for the candidates they think would best represent them.”
Ranked Choice Voting allows voters to fully state their preferences by ranking their favorite candidates. Voters don’t have to pick “the lesser of two evils.” They can express their opinion on all the candidates on the ballot.
Ranked Choice Voting is associated with higher turnout, better capture of voter preferences, reduced partisanship, and less negative campaigning. It was implemented in Maine on a limited basis and expanded after the voters preferred it to the traditional system. Jurisdictions using Ranked Choice Voting include Minneapolis, St. Paul, Santa Fe, Oakland, and San Francisco. As the country’s most populous municipality, New York City will be a leader in this type of election reform.
Among many other reforms, Yang also proposes moving us to a publicly funded system he calls Democracy Dollars. This plan would allow every American to receive $100 per election cycle to donate to candidates of their choosing. It would save political leaders time from calling and begging for money and give them more time to look out for the interests of the people they represent.