Political polarization is at an all-time high and Pennsylvanians are losing trust in our democratic process. To help restore that trust I am introducing Legislation to allow for ranked choice voting (RCV) in Pennsylvania.
 
Currently, elections can be decided without any candidate receiving even 50% of the popular vote. These elections do not truly reflect the will of the people. This system of voting disenfranchises the electorate, incentivizes extremism in parties, causes gridlock, and prevents cooperation and collaboration in the most basic functions of government. 
 
Micro-issues become divisive political headlines in every media outlet, while the real needs of Pennsylvanians are left on the sidelines. Our current method of plurality voting no longer serves the people.
 
RCV is the first best step in restoring trust in our elections. It ensures that the winner of any election has earned over 50% of the vote. RCV has been shown to increase voter satisfaction and turnout.
 
RCV also decreases political division by reducing negative campaigning and allowing legislators to focus on priorities held by the majority of their constituents, rather than relying on the support of a small polarized base. With RCV we can build a system that takes the spotlight off of divisive culture wars in favor of true political representation, cooperation and efficiency.
 
Soon, we will be introducing an updated version of HB 1178 from last session. This legislation gives Pennsylvanians the power to self-determine how best to elect the legislators who will represent them by allowing for the possibility of using RCV in elections without immediately changing elections as they are today.
 
Updates to the bill include:
 
—Simplified bill language
—Initial election results are made available on election night
—Final election results show the comparative results of the top two candidates
—RCV can be used for any primary, general, or special election that has chosen to use RCV
—Batch elimination is not required;
—Clarification to close loopholes in implementation;
—The possibility of multi-winner elections for proportional representation.
 
Please join us in co-sponsoring this important legislation to increase civic engagement and voter turnout, improve political cooperation and restore trust in Pennsylvania’s elections.