Testimony for the Virginia House Privileges and Elections Committee in Support of VA SB 1009, Conduct Governing Ranked Choice Voting
Testimony from:
Dr. Jonathan Madison, Governance Fellow, R Street Institute
Testimony in Support of VA SB 1009, “Elections; conduct of election, ranked choice voting, locally elected offices.”
February 14th, 2025
Virginia House Privileges and Elections Committee
Chairwoman Price and members of the committee.
My name is Dr. Jonathan Madison, and I am a Governance Fellow at the R Street Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy research organization. Our mission is to engage in policy analysis and outreach to promote free-markets, and limited, effective government in many areas, including election administration. This is why we have an interest in Senate Bill 1009.
SB 1009 empowers local governments by authorizing ranked choice voting (RCV) for all local offices. RCV allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, ensuring that elected officials have broad support. In elections with multiple candidates, RCV helps prevent winners from being elected with only a plurality, enhancing the legitimacy of the elected officials and increasing public confidence in the electoral process.[1] By encouraging candidates to seek second- and third-choice votes, RCV promotes more positive campaigning and reduces political polarization.[2] Candidates are incentivized to appeal to a broader base, fostering coalition-building and collaborative governance.[3]
Giving localities the authority to choose their preferred election method option strengthens the democratic process by allowing them to tailor election processes to their unique circumstances. SB 1009 also provides for the necessary election infrastructure and voter education materials to ensure smooth implementation of RCV where practiced.
In summary, SB 1009 offers a thoughtful approach to enhancing local elections in Virginia by allowing municipalities to adopt ranked choice voting. This flexibility can lead to more representative outcomes, improved voter engagement, and strengthened electoral processes. For these reasons, we encourage your support of SB 1009.
Thank you,
Dr. Jonathan Madison
Governance Fellow
R Street Institute
385-500-7537
[1] Cynthia McClintock, Electoral Rules and Democracy in Latin America (Oxford University Press, 2018), pp. 29-64.
[2] Rachel Leven and Tyler Fisher, “Alaska’s Election Model: How the Top-Four Nonpartisan Primary System Improves Participation, Competition, and Representation”, Unite America Institute, October 2023, https://www.uniteamericainstitute.org/research/alaskas-election-model-how-the-top-four-nonpartisan-primary-system-improves-participation-competition-and-representation.
[3] FairVote, “Ranked Choice Voting” https://fairvote.org/our-reforms/ranked-choice-voting/.