Why Ranked-Choice Voting Is on Nov. 5 Ballots in the US

In this year’s Nov. 5 general election in the US, voters in a handful of states will go beyond selecting their preferred candidates. They’ll also vote on how to determine the winner of future races.

The vast majority of elections in the US are guided by plurality rule: Each voter selects one candidate, and the person with the most votes wins. Critics say this system, while simple to grasp, means voters can’t fully express their views when more than two candidates are running for an office.