, Columnist
Want More Moderate Candidates? Demand Ranked Choice Voting
The process, which is being used in several states this year, scrambles the incentives for both politicians and voters.
In the ranking booth.
Photographer: Elena Covalenco/AFP
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Ranked choice voting is on many state and local ballots this year, so it’s worth considering how it works in practice. Or, as we economists like to say: It’s time for some game theory.
There are many ways to run a ranked choice system, but they all basically allow voters to list candidates by order of preference. An algorithm then turns those rank orderings into a winner.