Advocates push for ranked-choice voting option

| Nicole Abrams | The Bay State Banner |

Election reform advocates testified at a hearing on Thursday in support of a bill that would give Massachusetts cities and towns the option to adopt a ranked-choice voting system into their elections.

State Sen. Becca Rausch and Rep. Russell Holmes filed the bill, titled “An Act providing a local option for ranked choice voting in municipal elections,” was presented to the Joint Committee on Election Laws at a hearing last week.

A pathway for towns and cities

This bill allows for towns and cities in Massachusetts to implement ranked-choice voting in local elections without having to get approval from the Legislature and the governor.

“It doesn’t mandate anybody switching to ranked-choice voting,” Rausch said, “it just creates a pathway for towns and cities to make that change of their own volition.”

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