Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A town hall meeting on Ranked Choice Voting is set this week in Howell.

Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) is a reform that could change the way voters in Michigan and across the nation participate in elections.

The town hall will take place this Wednesday, December 18th at the Howell Carnegie District Library in the Meabon Room from 5:30 to 7pm and is open to the public. Attendees should enter from the back of the library.

Rank MI Vote is a non-partisan, non-profit organization of volunteers working to promote the use of Ranked Choice Voting in Michigan.

The town hall event aims to provide area residents with a clear understanding of how Ranked Choice Voting works, its potential benefits for Michigan’s elections, and how it could improve the overall voting experience.

Ranked Choice Voting is a voting method where voters rank candidates in order of preference, rather than selecting just one. If no candidate achieves a majority, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and votes are redistributed based on the next preference. The process continues until a candidate has a majority.

Proponents of RCV argue that it can reduce negative campaigning, ensure more representative outcomes, and encourage a wider range of candidates to run for office.

Paul Giessner, a Howell-based volunteer with Rank MI Vote, said "This is an opportunity for Howell residents to learn more about an important electoral reform and how it can empower voters and improve democracy," He said they encourage everyone to attend, whether they are already familiar with RCV or are just curious to learn more.

The group says participants will have the opportunity to learn about problems with the current voting system, hear about an ambitious plan for a solution: ranked choice voting, how ranked choice voting eliminates current election issues like “spoilers” and “lesser of two evils”, and ask questions and voice opinions about how RCV could impact Michigan’s elections. Attendees will also learn how RCV has been implemented in other parts of the country, its potential advantages for Michigan, and what the process to bring it to Michigan looks like.

The town hall event is free but registration is encouraged via the provided link.