Ranked-Choice Voting Faces Setbacks in 2024 Ballot Measures

Despite local successes, most state-level initiatives to expand ranked-choice voting and open primaries were rejected by voters this election cycle.

Voters in eight states, including Colorado, Idaho, and Nevada, rejected ballot measures to implement ranked-choice voting or open primaries in 2024.
Alaska narrowly retained its ranked-choice voting system, with a repeal measure failing by just 664 votes out of more than 340,000 cast, pending a recount request.
Washington, D.C., approved ranked-choice voting and open primaries, allowing independents to vote in party primaries and rank candidates by preference.
Advocates attribute the losses to voter confusion, opposition spending, and the polarized environment of a presidential election year, but plan to focus on education and incremental reforms at local levels.
Ranked-choice voting continues to gain traction in local elections, with proponents highlighting its ability to produce consensus candidates and discourage negative campaigning.