Ranked Choice Voting is the Wrong Choice

 The implications of ranked choice voting (RCV) in South Carolina. Despite efforts to ban it through House bill H. 3386, RCV may still be proposed in the future due to the state's growing population. The article argues that RCV could lead to undesirable election outcomes and suggests alternatives.

1. Current Status: Ranked choice voting has little chance of being approved in South Carolina as the 2025 legislative session saw a failed attempt to ban it, although future proposals could arise.

2. Understanding Ranked Choice Voting: RCV, or Instant Runoff Voting, allows voters to rank candidates by preference. If no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed to remaining candidates until one surpasses the 50% threshold.

3. Potential Issues:

• RCV can allow candidates with fewer initial votes to end up winning. For instance, a candidate that initially came in third could win after votes are redistributed.

• Voters often have a single preferred candidate, making it difficult to choose second or third choices meaningfully. This could lead to random selections that do not reflect true voter preferences.

4. Example of a Flawed Outcome: An election example illustrates how RCV can yield surprising results. If Candidate A gets 170 votes and Candidate D finishes last, votes from D might help Candidate C to overtake Candidate B, resulting in C winning despite being initially behind.

5. Counting Delays and Errors: RCV could cause significant delays in counting votes, as seen in Georgia’s 2020 senator election. The complex process of redistributing votes increases the chances of errors.

6. Alternatives to RCV:

• A simple plurality vote, where the candidate with the most votes wins outright.

• A system that eliminates candidates receiving less than 15% of the vote and only requires runoffs in closely contested scenarios.

While ranked choice voting seems beneficial in theory, it poses practical challenges and could lead to unfavorable election results. A straightforward plurality system or modified voting approach may serve South Carolina voters better. Thus, ranked choice voting is deemed the wrong choice for the state. 

https://palmettostatewatchfoundation.com/2025/05/19/ranked-choice-voting-is-the-wrong-choice/