Denver weighs ranked choice voting for municipal elections

Denver City Council members are weighing a proposal to adopt ranked choice voting (RCV) for municipal elections, potentially altering how officials such as the mayor and council members are elected. Supporters advocate for RCV as a cost-saving measure, estimating it could eliminate roughly $2 million spent on runoff elections, which occur two months after the initial voting. Critics like Councilmember Kevin Flynn caution that RCV may lead to decreased voter turnout, citing experiences from Portland following its RCV implementation. Councilmember Sarah Parady emphasized the risk of legal challenges arising from the city’s voting practices, which may not align with a new state voting rights law aimed at ensuring racial parity in turnout. City Clerk Paul López indicated that while he hasn’t endorsed RCV, the existing election systems could accommodate the change.

The city previously experimented with RCV in the early 1900s before discontinuing it in 1935. Voter approval is necessary for the proposal to move forward, following a statewide measure that was rejected last year. Other cities like Boulder, Minneapolis, and San Francisco have successfully implemented RCV.