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Beit-Aharon: The case for Newton adopting Ranked Choice Voting

Newton just had a preliminary election that could have been avoided had the city been using Ranked Choice Voting (“RCV”, a.k.a. “Instant Runoff Voting”).

In 2020, 66% of Newton residents voted for Question 2, to use Ranked Choice Voting statewide. While that initiative unfortunately failed, Newton can ask the Commonwealth to allow RCV for municipal elections as a Home Rule option.  Here is why that is worthwhile:

  • In some precincts the recent vote in Wards 2 and 6 was below 15%, and there is every reason to believe that in a single general election we’d see much greater voter participation.
  • Preliminary elections costs include salaries of poll workers and police officers at polls, as well as printing costs for the ballots, and more. Eliminating a city-wide preliminary election saves approximately $100,000. Without an override our city finances are squeezed, and even eliminating such elections in two of our eight wards can help.
  • RCV inherently rewards reasonableness and politeness over taking divisive positions. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I would certainly appreciate such changes.
  • Newton recently purchased new voting machines that support an RCV option, so there is very little cost, if any, to implementation (that I can see).

To join with other citizens working towards Newton adopting Ranked Choice Voting for local elections, join us at www.newtonrcv.org/

Jonathan Beit-Aharon
Newton Corner

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