WHEREAS, Ranked choice voting is an election method that empowers voters by giving them
the option to rank candidates in order of preference; and
WHEREAS, Ranked choice voting strengthens democracy by providing for broader and more
inclusive political representation, encourages a greater range of candidates to run for office, and
promotes more civil and issue-oriented campaigns; and
WHEREAS, Ranked choice voting enhances voter choice, allows voters to cast more honest and
sincere ballots by addressing the “spoiler” effect, and maximizes the power of each individual’s
Vote; and
WHEREAS, Ranked choice voting is believed to increase voter engagement and participation
through more competitive contests and increased voter contact; and
WHEREAS, Ranked choice voting is used effectively in elections for local, state, and federal
office throughout the United States, and has been used for over a century in elections for public
office around the world; and
WHEREAS, Surveys find that voters who participate in ranked choice voting elections
overwhelmingly understand and prefer them to single-choice elections; and
WHEREAS, Ranked choice voting has been repeatedly and uniformly upheld as constitutional
under the United States Constitution and the “one person, one vote” doctrine by federal and
state courts; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby calls on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to enact legislation that would allow local jurisdictions to adopt ranked choice voting.
End