Thousands of Americans are preparing to utilize ranked choice voting (RCV) in the upcoming election, a voting method that has gained popularity in recent U.S. history but also faces criticism over its effectiveness and fairness. RCV is used in multiple forms across a variety of states, with Alaska, Hawaii, and Maine being at the forefront of its adoption.

Alaska and Maine have fully embraced RCV, using it for both federal and statewide elections, while Hawaii utilizes it in certain statewide elections. Additionally, 13 states have implemented or are set to begin using RCV in municipal elections. On the other hand, five states - Florida, Tennessee, South Dakota, Montana, and Idaho - have passed measures to prohibit the use of RCV. Virginia remains the lone state where RCV is authorized by law but not yet implemented.

The most popular form of RCV, known as instant-runoff voting, has been tested in several states, notably Alaska. This method counts voters' first choice in the initial round, and if no candidate reaches 50% of the vote, election officials begin counting the second-choice candidates. The candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated, and their second-choice votes are redistributed to the remaining candidates. This process continues until a candidate reaches the required 50% threshold.

According to AJ Simmons, Research Director of the Center for State Policy and Leadership at the University of Illinois Springfield, more states and localities could pass legislation to adopt various forms of RCV in the future. Nevada, Idaho, and Colorado are considering adopting systems similar to Alaska's version of RCV, while Oregon is exploring a system closer to Maine's approach.

Simmons also highlighted some concerns associated with RCV, including "ballot exhaustion," where voters may choose not to fill out their ballot fully, resulting in their votes not being utilized in subsequent rounds. However, he pointed out that traditional voting systems also encounter similar issues of blank ballots or votes for dropped-out candidates.

Critics of RCV claim that it can have a partisan impact on elections. Simmons acknowledged that the impact may vary depending on the area and which party loses support to third-party candidates. However, he emphasized that there is no widespread evidence that RCV exclusively benefits one party over the other. He also mentioned that RCV could enhance the chances of moderate candidates being elected, as it allows for broader electoral appeal regardless of party affiliation.

In a recent interview with Fox News, Alaska congressional candidate Nick Begich expressed frustration with the ranked choice voting system. Begich, a Republican running for the state's at-large congressional district, argued that RCV eliminates the opportunity for a primary election and forces candidates to run as moderate in order to appeal to a broader voter base. He criticized the process as "disingenuous" and claimed that it allows the dominating party to game the system.

Despite the criticism, RCV continues to gain traction across the country. It is expected that more states and localities will consider adopting various forms of RCV for both general elections and primaries. As RCV stretches to different regions, Americans will have a better understanding of its impact on elections and the potential benefits it may bring.

In the coming months, Nevada will hold a referendum to adopt a similar system to what Alaska has recently utilized, while Utah is implementing a pilot program at the local level to test RCV before potentially adopting it on a state level. The future of ranked choice voting remains an ongoing topic of discussion, as various states weigh the merits and drawbacks of this voting method.