tips for running a campaign under ranked choice voting
Tip 1: Using the Language of Ranked Choice Voting in Your CampaigN
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Asking Voters Specifically for their First-Choice Vote
No matter the number of candidates in the race or whether you anticipate lower-choice votes being a factor, it should always benefit you to use the language of ranked voting when talking about the race and asking voters to support you. In a traditional election, you might have asked, "Can I count on your vote on Tuesday?" Under Ranked Choice Voting it benefits you to instead ask, "Can I count on your first-choice vote on Tuesday?" |
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The first-choice votes are most important in determining the winner, and you should be explicit in asking for this level of support. While a candidate may need some second and lower rankings in order to ultimately win, it is mainly first-choice votes that determine which candidates get into the final runoff count. Second and third preferences may be necessary, but first preferences are always essential.
Also, using this language when talking to voters who already support you can help clarify any questions your supporters might have about the RCV process or filling out their ballot. Having your supporters rank their ballot can’t hurt you, but encouraging voters not to rank can make it more difficult for you to gain lower-choice votes.
Using this Language in your Campaign Materials
This specific ask that voters rank you #1 or give you their first-choice vote can easily find a home on your campaign’s printed materials. Again, using phrases like “Vote Your Name #1” or “Your Name First Choice” doesn’t require much extra space or explanation -- and can go a long way in shoring up critical votes.
Also, using this language when talking to voters who already support you can help clarify any questions your supporters might have about the RCV process or filling out their ballot. Having your supporters rank their ballot can’t hurt you, but encouraging voters not to rank can make it more difficult for you to gain lower-choice votes.
Using this Language in your Campaign Materials
This specific ask that voters rank you #1 or give you their first-choice vote can easily find a home on your campaign’s printed materials. Again, using phrases like “Vote Your Name #1” or “Your Name First Choice” doesn’t require much extra space or explanation -- and can go a long way in shoring up critical votes.
tip 2: The Road to 50%+
First-Choice Votes
No matter the number of candidates in your race, first-choice votes are the most important, and a top focus for your campaign should be to maximize the number of first-choice votes you receive. If you can persuade more than 50% of the voters to choose you as their first choice, the lower rankings do not come into play and you win. Even if you cannot win on first-choice votes alone, a substantial share will still be necessary to stay in the race.
Lower-Choice Votes
If there are three or more candidates in your race, it’s wise to prepare for lower-choice votes to play a role in determining the winner. Especially if looks like there is a chance you may not receive 50% of the first-choice votes, you should think about how you can win the second-choice votes from those committed to supporting your opponents. A good place to start is to think about what you share in common with any of your opponents and what messages will appeal to their supporters in order for you to earn a second-choice vote.
Remember that in a multicandidate race if the lower-choice votes from supporters of eliminated candidates break overwhelmingly against you, it’s possible to initially receive a plurality of first-choice votes and still fail to win. Your best chance to ensure this does not happen is to have an active strategy and effort to secure these lower-choice votes.
How Tracking Can Help You Measure This
Making a point to ask voters about their plan for a second- and even third-choice vote can help you greatly, especially when they indicate that their first choice vote will go to another candidate. A careful effort to collect this information about lower-choice preferences consistently throughout your voter contact activities can help you estimate how you may perform beyond the initial count of first-choice votes. If you have the resources, conducting a more systematic poll with questions about first-, second- and lower-choice votes can give you a clearer picture of this as well. The earlier you can begin to identify these trends, the more effectively you can tailor your campaign activities to secure these lower-choice votes.
No matter the number of candidates in your race, first-choice votes are the most important, and a top focus for your campaign should be to maximize the number of first-choice votes you receive. If you can persuade more than 50% of the voters to choose you as their first choice, the lower rankings do not come into play and you win. Even if you cannot win on first-choice votes alone, a substantial share will still be necessary to stay in the race.
Lower-Choice Votes
If there are three or more candidates in your race, it’s wise to prepare for lower-choice votes to play a role in determining the winner. Especially if looks like there is a chance you may not receive 50% of the first-choice votes, you should think about how you can win the second-choice votes from those committed to supporting your opponents. A good place to start is to think about what you share in common with any of your opponents and what messages will appeal to their supporters in order for you to earn a second-choice vote.
Remember that in a multicandidate race if the lower-choice votes from supporters of eliminated candidates break overwhelmingly against you, it’s possible to initially receive a plurality of first-choice votes and still fail to win. Your best chance to ensure this does not happen is to have an active strategy and effort to secure these lower-choice votes.
How Tracking Can Help You Measure This
Making a point to ask voters about their plan for a second- and even third-choice vote can help you greatly, especially when they indicate that their first choice vote will go to another candidate. A careful effort to collect this information about lower-choice preferences consistently throughout your voter contact activities can help you estimate how you may perform beyond the initial count of first-choice votes. If you have the resources, conducting a more systematic poll with questions about first-, second- and lower-choice votes can give you a clearer picture of this as well. The earlier you can begin to identify these trends, the more effectively you can tailor your campaign activities to secure these lower-choice votes.
tip 3: RCV Messaging and Your Website
Explain Ranked Choice Voting
Your website is an easy place to include an explanation of RCV to eliminate any possible confusion among your supporters and make sure they understand the importance of giving you their first-choice vote. Your website may already include other resources on voting information for your supporters and a quick explanation of RCV is a useful addition to this.
Use the Language of RCV
Along with other campaign materials, using the language of RCV on your website should only serve to benefit your campaign. Using phrases like “Vote Your Name #1” or “Your Name First Choice” doesn’t require much extra space or explanation, and can go a long way in shoring up critical votes.
Plenty of Room to Ask for Lower Choice Votes
Your campaign website is not subject to the same space limitations as your other communications that might not leave enough room for to ask for lower-choice votes. For those of you in a multicandidate race, your website can be an effective place to do this, possibly even with specific messages for those who have already committed their first-choice vote to another candidate. Including this direct ask on your website might earn you the second-choice vote you need from an early voter.
Your website is an easy place to include an explanation of RCV to eliminate any possible confusion among your supporters and make sure they understand the importance of giving you their first-choice vote. Your website may already include other resources on voting information for your supporters and a quick explanation of RCV is a useful addition to this.
Use the Language of RCV
Along with other campaign materials, using the language of RCV on your website should only serve to benefit your campaign. Using phrases like “Vote Your Name #1” or “Your Name First Choice” doesn’t require much extra space or explanation, and can go a long way in shoring up critical votes.
Plenty of Room to Ask for Lower Choice Votes
Your campaign website is not subject to the same space limitations as your other communications that might not leave enough room for to ask for lower-choice votes. For those of you in a multicandidate race, your website can be an effective place to do this, possibly even with specific messages for those who have already committed their first-choice vote to another candidate. Including this direct ask on your website might earn you the second-choice vote you need from an early voter.
tip 4: Get ready to start asking for lower-choice support
Why ask for more than first choices
While your campaign is likely focused on maximizing the critical first choices, in a multicandidate race, it may be necessary for your campaign to also actively seek second and even lower choices. If you don’t make it above 50% with first choices, support from voters’ second and lower choices will be required for you to win. If another candidate outworks you for support among the lower choices, you can still lose the election even if you secure a plurality of the first choices. This story of the 2010 race for mayor of Oakland illustrates the possible benefit of a strategy to win lower-choice votes.
How to ask for lower-choice votes
If you want people talking to voters on behalf of your campaign to make an effort to secure second choices, it will likely take specific instruction. Experienced volunteers and campaign workers should be familiar with the process of asking for first choices but may be used to ending the conversation after encountering a voter who supports a different candidate. Scripts and training on this process may be necessary. I am always happy to help with a training for your campaign team on RCV.
If you have a system in place to track who a voter supports as their first choice, it should be easy to add in the option to record a second choice. Tracking this should help you evaluate how the vote counting might play out if you are unable to secure a majority of votes in the initial round.
You may also want to think about what you share in common with any of your opponents and what different messages will appeal to their supporters. It is possible that a separate message might be needed to win a second choice depending on who the voter has decided on for a first choice.
Not all second choices are of equal value to your campaign
Although you can only stand to benefit from asking for the second choice from voters set on a different first choice, it is important to keep in mind that the value of a pledge for second-choice support varies by their top preference. The earlier you anticipate one of your opponents is likely to be eliminated in the counting, the more likely it is that their supporters’ second choices could be activated in your favor. Similarly, your campaign should not place as high a value on earning second choices from voters whose first choice is likely to remain active in the final count.
While your campaign is likely focused on maximizing the critical first choices, in a multicandidate race, it may be necessary for your campaign to also actively seek second and even lower choices. If you don’t make it above 50% with first choices, support from voters’ second and lower choices will be required for you to win. If another candidate outworks you for support among the lower choices, you can still lose the election even if you secure a plurality of the first choices. This story of the 2010 race for mayor of Oakland illustrates the possible benefit of a strategy to win lower-choice votes.
How to ask for lower-choice votes
If you want people talking to voters on behalf of your campaign to make an effort to secure second choices, it will likely take specific instruction. Experienced volunteers and campaign workers should be familiar with the process of asking for first choices but may be used to ending the conversation after encountering a voter who supports a different candidate. Scripts and training on this process may be necessary. I am always happy to help with a training for your campaign team on RCV.
If you have a system in place to track who a voter supports as their first choice, it should be easy to add in the option to record a second choice. Tracking this should help you evaluate how the vote counting might play out if you are unable to secure a majority of votes in the initial round.
You may also want to think about what you share in common with any of your opponents and what different messages will appeal to their supporters. It is possible that a separate message might be needed to win a second choice depending on who the voter has decided on for a first choice.
Not all second choices are of equal value to your campaign
Although you can only stand to benefit from asking for the second choice from voters set on a different first choice, it is important to keep in mind that the value of a pledge for second-choice support varies by their top preference. The earlier you anticipate one of your opponents is likely to be eliminated in the counting, the more likely it is that their supporters’ second choices could be activated in your favor. Similarly, your campaign should not place as high a value on earning second choices from voters whose first choice is likely to remain active in the final count.
Tip 5: Can we host a fun ranked vote at your event?
If you want to have your supporters practice Ranked Choice Voting, consider holding an RCV election at your next candidate event! We agree on what to vote on beforehand, often the event’s food (best appetizer, best dessert, etc.), we bring the ballots, help your guests vote, and announce the winner at the end. It provides a fun activity for attendees and an opportunity to make sure your supporters understand RCV. This can be a nice addition to just about any event, especially a fundraiser or meet-and-greet.
If you have an event coming up where you would like us to hold one of these fun ranked elections, please contact us at heather.klindworth@fairvotemn.org.
If you have an event coming up where you would like us to hold one of these fun ranked elections, please contact us at heather.klindworth@fairvotemn.org.
tip 6: Candidate Forums
When candidate forums start getting scheduled, consider the implications of RCV on these events.
More to Gain from Common Ground
For races where you might face two or more other candidates in these forums, RCV should provide more value in finding agreement or common ground. Especially when you consider that many voters attend these events with a predetermined first choice, these forums should be an effective place to aim to pursue second choices. While you still might benefit from emphasizing points of contrast, RCV should give you more to gain when presented with a genuine opportunity to agree with other candidates.
Consider the Downside of Attacks
If you are considering this strategy be sure to think about the potential cost in second-and-lower-choice support. An attack on your leading opponent might adversely change how supporters of a third candidate will evaluate you as their possible second choice.
Make a Specific Appeal for Second Choices:
While most of your campaign activities are geared toward finding new first-choice supporters, attendees at these candidate forums often arrive already set on a first choice. More so than in other situations, this can make these forums more productive venues for direct appeals for second choices. If you are given the opportunity for both an opening and closing statement, it could be to your benefit to focus one on attendees who are using the forum to decide on a second or lower choice.
More to Gain from Common Ground
For races where you might face two or more other candidates in these forums, RCV should provide more value in finding agreement or common ground. Especially when you consider that many voters attend these events with a predetermined first choice, these forums should be an effective place to aim to pursue second choices. While you still might benefit from emphasizing points of contrast, RCV should give you more to gain when presented with a genuine opportunity to agree with other candidates.
Consider the Downside of Attacks
If you are considering this strategy be sure to think about the potential cost in second-and-lower-choice support. An attack on your leading opponent might adversely change how supporters of a third candidate will evaluate you as their possible second choice.
Make a Specific Appeal for Second Choices:
While most of your campaign activities are geared toward finding new first-choice supporters, attendees at these candidate forums often arrive already set on a first choice. More so than in other situations, this can make these forums more productive venues for direct appeals for second choices. If you are given the opportunity for both an opening and closing statement, it could be to your benefit to focus one on attendees who are using the forum to decide on a second or lower choice.
tip 7: Building Coalitions
There are many benefits to building coalitions in a multicandidate race.
RCV Presents an Upside
In a traditional election, there tends to be little to gain from positioning yourself as similar to another candidate since a voter’s only action is to pick their first choice. Under RCV in a race with several candidates, the opportunity emerges for you to benefit from aligning with other candidates. First choices are still the most important and you shouldn’t distract from what makes you the best candidate, but RCV also allows you to emphasize what you have in common with your opponents.
Positioning to Win Lower Choices
If you are not able to secure a majority of the first choices to win, it is not likely a wise campaign strategy to expect the second- and lower-choice votes you need will come effortlessly or at random. Positioning your campaign in an informal coalition with other candidates can help ensure that the lower-choice support you may need to win is available.
The 2010 campaign for Mayor of Oakland again serves as an example of the maximum benefit a campaign can receive from campaigning as part of a coalition. In short, Jean Quan’s campaign successfully aligned with several other candidates in pursuit of second- and third- choice support. In contrast, her leading opponent was able to gain the most first choices, but fell well short of a majority because he declined to actively seek votes from the supporters of eliminated candidates.
If you think there is a chance there will not be a majority winner from first choices alone, consider what you share in common with any of your opponents and what different messages might appeal to their supporters. It is possible that a separate message might be needed to win a second choice, depending on who the voter has decided on for a first choice.
Make Your Rankings Public
A very direct way to position yourself in a coalition with other candidates is to publicly declare your lower choices. You can build out the specific messages on what you share with these other candidates, but this simple action can appeal to their supporters on its own. If a voter sees that you will be ranking their favorite candidate, it serves as an easy signal that you deserve a higher choice when they vote.
RCV Presents an Upside
In a traditional election, there tends to be little to gain from positioning yourself as similar to another candidate since a voter’s only action is to pick their first choice. Under RCV in a race with several candidates, the opportunity emerges for you to benefit from aligning with other candidates. First choices are still the most important and you shouldn’t distract from what makes you the best candidate, but RCV also allows you to emphasize what you have in common with your opponents.
Positioning to Win Lower Choices
If you are not able to secure a majority of the first choices to win, it is not likely a wise campaign strategy to expect the second- and lower-choice votes you need will come effortlessly or at random. Positioning your campaign in an informal coalition with other candidates can help ensure that the lower-choice support you may need to win is available.
The 2010 campaign for Mayor of Oakland again serves as an example of the maximum benefit a campaign can receive from campaigning as part of a coalition. In short, Jean Quan’s campaign successfully aligned with several other candidates in pursuit of second- and third- choice support. In contrast, her leading opponent was able to gain the most first choices, but fell well short of a majority because he declined to actively seek votes from the supporters of eliminated candidates.
If you think there is a chance there will not be a majority winner from first choices alone, consider what you share in common with any of your opponents and what different messages might appeal to their supporters. It is possible that a separate message might be needed to win a second choice, depending on who the voter has decided on for a first choice.
Make Your Rankings Public
A very direct way to position yourself in a coalition with other candidates is to publicly declare your lower choices. You can build out the specific messages on what you share with these other candidates, but this simple action can appeal to their supporters on its own. If a voter sees that you will be ranking their favorite candidate, it serves as an easy signal that you deserve a higher choice when they vote.
tip 8: Encouraging Ranking Can Help You
In a multicandidate race, you can benefit from encouraging voters to rank beyond a first choice, but don’t encourage bullet voting.
No Benefit for Encouraging a Bullet Vote
Bullet voting – the tactic of selecting only one candidate, despite the option to indicate a preference for other candidates – offers a voter no value under RCV. Some candidates mistakenly believe that if their supporters rank a second or third choice, this might dilute the strength of that voter’s first preference or hurt the chances of that favorite candidate getting elected. That dynamic can occur under the traditional system of voting in at-large elections to fill multiple seats, as is the case with the St. Paul School Board.
This problem does not exist with RCV. Under RCV, ranking alternate choices can never hurt the chances of the first choice marked on the ballot. Second and lower choices marked on a ballot are only considered if you, their first-choice candidate, have been eliminated and are not in the runoff count. In this case, there is no impact to you if your supporters’ ballots indicate alternate choices.
How Advocating Ranking Can Help You
Some campaigns may see a strategic value in actively encouraging voters to rank a certain other candidate second – as a way of suggesting that supporters of that candidate might be wise to rank you as their second choice. Such “you-scratch-my-back-I-scratch-yours” strategic alliances are common in places using Ranked Choice Voting. Regardless, a campaign would be wise to not risk insulting its supporters by asking them to throw away their runoff votes by not ranking backup choices.
Even if you chose not to disclose your rankings, you still might find value in broadly encouraging voters to rank beyond a first choice. As voters who have decided on a different first choice are considering the rest of their ranking, seeing that you seek broad support beyond first choices could encourage voters to give you more serious consideration for their second choice.
The Downside of Urging a Bullet Vote
If your campaign tells supporters not to rank beyond a first choice, you run the risk of discouraging voters who support those other candidates from ranking you as an alternate choice – a sort of natural retaliation. If there is a runoff count, you’ll also need the second- or lower-choice rankings from voters who preferred another candidate as their first choice. If your campaign identifies as uninterested in lower choice support by encouraging a bullet vote, you might decrease the chance that supporters of another candidate will vote for you as their second choice.
No Benefit for Encouraging a Bullet Vote
Bullet voting – the tactic of selecting only one candidate, despite the option to indicate a preference for other candidates – offers a voter no value under RCV. Some candidates mistakenly believe that if their supporters rank a second or third choice, this might dilute the strength of that voter’s first preference or hurt the chances of that favorite candidate getting elected. That dynamic can occur under the traditional system of voting in at-large elections to fill multiple seats, as is the case with the St. Paul School Board.
This problem does not exist with RCV. Under RCV, ranking alternate choices can never hurt the chances of the first choice marked on the ballot. Second and lower choices marked on a ballot are only considered if you, their first-choice candidate, have been eliminated and are not in the runoff count. In this case, there is no impact to you if your supporters’ ballots indicate alternate choices.
How Advocating Ranking Can Help You
Some campaigns may see a strategic value in actively encouraging voters to rank a certain other candidate second – as a way of suggesting that supporters of that candidate might be wise to rank you as their second choice. Such “you-scratch-my-back-I-scratch-yours” strategic alliances are common in places using Ranked Choice Voting. Regardless, a campaign would be wise to not risk insulting its supporters by asking them to throw away their runoff votes by not ranking backup choices.
Even if you chose not to disclose your rankings, you still might find value in broadly encouraging voters to rank beyond a first choice. As voters who have decided on a different first choice are considering the rest of their ranking, seeing that you seek broad support beyond first choices could encourage voters to give you more serious consideration for their second choice.
The Downside of Urging a Bullet Vote
If your campaign tells supporters not to rank beyond a first choice, you run the risk of discouraging voters who support those other candidates from ranking you as an alternate choice – a sort of natural retaliation. If there is a runoff count, you’ll also need the second- or lower-choice rankings from voters who preferred another candidate as their first choice. If your campaign identifies as uninterested in lower choice support by encouraging a bullet vote, you might decrease the chance that supporters of another candidate will vote for you as their second choice.
tip 9: Reaching Voters for the Second Time
If your campaign has been measuring your support through your voter contact effort, RCV adds an additional dimension for consideration as you might begin to reach some of these voters for a second time.
More Depth to the Breaking of Undecided Voters
In a traditional election, a key measure campaigns may track when reaching voters for the second time is the rate at which previously undecided voters are now supportive. In a multicandidate race, it could benefit you to analyze not only the rate at which previously undecided voters now plan to you support you with a first choice, but also which voters have settled on a different first choice but will rank you as their second or lower choice. As discussed previously, these new lower choices will vary considerably in their value to your campaign depending on how you evaluate the strength of your opponents.
A Second Pass for Second Choices
RCV also provides an opportunity to gain from a second conversation with a voter who was previously firm in their first choice support for a different candidate. Especially if there is an opponent you anticipate could be eliminated early in the counting, a continued effort to secure their supporters’ second-choice support might be worthwhile. If you have tracked which voters were undecided on a second choice in your first conversation, this also could represent a valuable group to prioritize reaching again.
Not Too Late to Start Asking and Tracking Second Choices
If your campaign previously only tracked first-choice support but you now anticipate that second or lower choices might be necessary to win, it is not too late to begin this practice. Any initial trends you might identify through this could be valuable in guiding campaign priorities in these final weeks of the campaign. As voters are increasingly decided on a first choice, it could be an increasingly effective time to secure lower-choice support.
More Depth to the Breaking of Undecided Voters
In a traditional election, a key measure campaigns may track when reaching voters for the second time is the rate at which previously undecided voters are now supportive. In a multicandidate race, it could benefit you to analyze not only the rate at which previously undecided voters now plan to you support you with a first choice, but also which voters have settled on a different first choice but will rank you as their second or lower choice. As discussed previously, these new lower choices will vary considerably in their value to your campaign depending on how you evaluate the strength of your opponents.
A Second Pass for Second Choices
RCV also provides an opportunity to gain from a second conversation with a voter who was previously firm in their first choice support for a different candidate. Especially if there is an opponent you anticipate could be eliminated early in the counting, a continued effort to secure their supporters’ second-choice support might be worthwhile. If you have tracked which voters were undecided on a second choice in your first conversation, this also could represent a valuable group to prioritize reaching again.
Not Too Late to Start Asking and Tracking Second Choices
If your campaign previously only tracked first-choice support but you now anticipate that second or lower choices might be necessary to win, it is not too late to begin this practice. Any initial trends you might identify through this could be valuable in guiding campaign priorities in these final weeks of the campaign. As voters are increasingly decided on a first choice, it could be an increasingly effective time to secure lower-choice support.
Have any additional questions?
We'd be happy to chat! Please contact Heather Klindworth at heather.klindworth@fairvotemn.org.
why rcv?"Ranked Choice Voting is the only way I know of that will get people back to the polls in a meaningful way."
- Senator Dave Durenberger |
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