How Ranked Choice Voting Could Shake Up California's Political Scene

California's political landscape might look quite different if ranked choice voting became the norm. This system, where voters rank candidates by preference, has already made waves in places like New York City. In the recent mayoral race, a lesser-known candidate, Zohran Mamdani, beat a well-established figure, Andrew Cuomo, thanks to this voting method. In California, most places require a runoff if no one gets over 50% of the votes. But with ranked choice voting, the candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is dropped, and their supporters' votes go to their next choice. This continues until someone has over 50%. This way, no votes go to waste, and there's no need for extra elections. Supporters say this system encourages positive campaigning and better represents diverse groups. It's already used in several California cities, like San Francisco and Oakland. These places have seen more diverse leaders and saved money by avoiding runoffs. But California's elections are different from New York's. Here, primaries are nonpartisan, meaning all candidates run together. This could change how candidates campaign. They might focus more on appealing to a broader range of voters, not just their party's base. Ranked choice voting could also change the political makeup. In areas where one party dominates, voters might support moderate candidates from the other party as their second choice. This could push the winning party toward the center. However, in areas with extreme views, candidates might take more extreme positions to gain second or third-choice support. Campaign styles might also change. Candidates could tone down attacks and form alliances to earn second-choice votes. This could lead to less divisive politics. Some leaders might hesitate to change the voting system, especially those who benefited from the current one. But the potential benefits are clear: lower costs, more engagement, and more representative outcomes. If California wants to fix its expensive and polarized elections, ranked choice voting is worth considering.