Like Ranked Choice Voting? Try a Sample Election for Auditor Race

If you've never heard of Ranked Choice Voting (RCV), consider this: We rank things all the time, like our favorite games, favorite sports teams, favorite movies, etc. When it comes to our elected officials and political candidates, why not rank them, too? If you are tired of the political status quo and unsatisfying elections, there may be a better way.

Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) is an ever-popular alternative voting method where “voting is literally as easy as 1, 2, 3. Just rank your choices in order of preference."According to Voter Choice Massachusetts, a 501(c)(4) non-profit advocacy organization that supports the adoption of ranked choice voting in the Commonwealth, this method is better than our current one for a variety of reasons, including:

- RCV Ensures Majority Support

- RCV Minimizes Strategic Voting

- RCV Promotes Diverse Candidates

- RCV Curbs Negative Campaigning

...among others. Learn more about Ranked Choice Voting here: https://www.voterchoicema.org/about_rcv

Now, have you heard of the State Auditor race? Do you know what the Auditor does? Only some voters do, unfortunately.

Basically, the Auditor is the financial watchdog of the state government, ensuring that its agencies and offices spend their budgets appropriately and don't waste taxpayer money. There are four (4) candidates on your ballots this year vying for the position:

Helen Brady (Republican): https://www.giveemhelen.com/

Suzanne Bump (Democrat, incumbent): https://suzannebump.com/

Daniel Fishman (Libertarian): https://www.auditmassachusetts.com/

Edward "Jed" Stamas (Green-Rainbow): http://www.green-rainbow.org/stamas_for_state_auditor

Ranked Choice Voting shines in races where there are three or more candidates, as in this one. And it allows you to make a principled and informed decision at the polls. Traditionally, is your candidate preference based on his/her individual vision and advocated policies? Or do you simply vote along party lines? If you've always chosen candidates based on the letters next to their names, I challenge you to visit the websites above become an educated voter.

- Do you usually vote Democrat, but maybe the Green-Rainbow candidate's positions earn him your first preference this year? (with the Democrat ranked second, of course)

- Do you tend to side with Republicans, but maybe you appreciate the work done by the incumbent Auditor?

- Maybe you want to protest the two-party system and would rank the 3rd party candidates above the Democrat and Republican?

Whatever your motivation, I am confident that participating in the sample Ranked Choice Voting election below will be an eye-opening experience. The Daniel Fishman for Auditor campaign has created this election/survey as a means to educate voters about this race and about RCV. It hopes the other candidates and interested groups will invite their followers to participate, as well.

Will this sample predict the real-life election outcome? We'll find out in 1...2...3...4....

Submit Your Ranked Choice Voting Ballot: https://goo.gl/forms/nKtf4a6fVK978PQ82

(Image Credit: Voter Choice Massachusetts)

Steven Lester is a volunteer with the Daniel Fishman for Auditor campaign and was recently elected to the State Committee of the Libertarian Association of Massachusetts (LAMA). He has previously volunteered for Voter Choice Massachusetts.