Read This Before You Vote This Year

Almost six years ago, New Yorkers agreed to use a system called Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) in primary and special elections for city offices, including the Mayor, Comptroller, and Public Advocate. This policy puts power in the hands of voters by giving them a better way to express their preferences in elections and guaranteeing outcomes that are better aligned with the will of the majority.

However, not everyone understands how RCV works. With the June 24 primary less than a month away, it’s time to make sure you and your friends and family know exactly what to do when you get to the voting booth.

What is Ranked Choice Voting (RCV)?

RCV is a system of voting that allows New Yorkers to rank up to five candidates in order of preference. The goal is to ensure that the winning candidate is the one who earns majority support—over 50% of the vote

Which NY elections use RCV?

New York City uses RCV for primary and special elections for city offices, including:

• Mayor

• Public Advocate

• Comptroller

• Borough President

• City Council

Do I have to rank five candidates?

Short answer: no. You only need to vote for the candidate or candidates you want to support. That means you can vote for one candidate or up to five. In other words, if there’s a candidate you really don’t like, you can leave them off your ballot entirely. Or if you strongly support two candidates, you can rank just those two.

Keep in mind, however, that ranking fewer than five candidates can mean your ballot becomes inactive sooner if all your ranked candidates are eliminated, so ranking more can help ensure your vote continues to count.

How does a candidate win the election?

After voting concludes, all first-choice votes are counted. If a candidate gets more than 50%, they win.

If no one reaches that threshold, the candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated. Voters who chose that candidate will then have their vote count toward their next-highest ranked candidate who is still in the race. The process continues, with the lowest-ranking candidates eliminated one at a time and those ballots reassigned, until one candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote and wins.

Overall, RCV helps avoid costly runoff elections, encourages broader outreach by candidates, and gives voters more say in who represents them. It also gives New Yorkers like you the ability to support more than one candidate.

Have more questions about the voting process? Learn more from our partners at NYC Votes.