Rank the Vote is a left-of-center advocacy group that recommends policies that would fundamentally transform the American electoral system at the national level, including the federalization of election administration and nationwide implementation of ranked choice voting (RCV).

It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Massachusetts. It has partnerships with multiple nonprofit political organizations pursuing similar goals including FairVote, Ranked Choice Voting Resource Center (RCVRC), Represent.Us, RepresentWomen, Unite America, and Veterans for Political Innovation. ¹

Activities

Rank the Vote advocates for reforms that would fundamentally transform the American electoral system at the national level, including the federalization of all elections and the implementation of ranked choice voting. RCV is a system that would allow voters to rank candidates by most to least preferred on their ballots, effectively allowing back-up choices. If a voter’s first choice for the election comes last and no candidate has outright majority support, an instant run-off round would occur and his or her vote would go to the candidate chosen second, or third, and so on until a candidate was able to receive a majority of the votes. ²

Rank the Vote argues that this system would encourage politicians to find common ground to court as many first, second, and third choice votes as possible, rather than just the base of their party or inter-party ideology. It also claims that more candidates with various backgrounds and ideas would be able to run. ³ It further argues that the RCV system will allow new parties to form, allow political independents to flourish, cause politics to become more respectful, and allow the voice of the people to “prevail,” because allegedly the majority of voters would determine the winner in this proposed system. ⁴

It tells its supporters to read its three-page manual and contact their state’s Rank the Vote teams. If their state does not yet have a Rank the Vote team it encourages them to form one. ⁵

National Partners

Rank the Vote has partnerships with advocacy organizations pursuing similar goals including FairVote, Ranked Choice Voting Resource Center (RCVRC), RepresentUs, RepresentWomen, Unite America, and Veterans for Political Innovation. ⁶

Leadership

Nathan Lockwood is the executive director of Rank the Vote. He was involved in the founding and development of Voter Choice Massachusetts and has sat on the board of directors of the Voter Choice Education Fund. ⁷

As of February 2023, Monica Burke was the national organizing director of Rank the Vote. She was the statewide organizer for Voter Choice Massachusetts and has served as a campaign manager and community organizer for various candidates and ballot initiatives. ⁸

Rank the Vote’s Digital Strategy Council includes legal journalist Mark Bauer, blogger AM Benjamin, financial specialist Jeanne Hopkins, and digital marketer Dan Sally. ⁹

As of February 2023, there were 55 members of Rank the Vote’s advisory board. ¹⁰

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