To the Editor:
Like many N.J. voters, I am in the process of deciding who to vote for in the N.J. Primary election. The number of gubernatorial candidates, especially, has me wishing that Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) was a part of our electoral system as it is in the states of Alaska and Maine, many municipalities, big and small, across the country, as well as in many foreign countries. I hate that I feel the need to make a strategic choice in order to avoid losing my vote due to the “spoiler effect” that discourages me from voting for the candidate of my choice because polls suggest he/she cannot win. In addition, while RCV requires a winner to have majority support, our present system almost ensures that the winning candidate will not receive the majority of votes. We are currently experiencing minority rule nationally and, to say the least, it is not good for democracy. Another plus for RCV from which N.J. could benefit is that it has been shown to increase voter turnout (recent voting history shows low voter turnout, 10 percent of registered voters voted in the June 2023 Primary).
N.J. communities are demonstrating their interest in Ranked Choice Voting by passing resolutions and trigger ordinances that will facilitate their adoption of RCV contingent on a local ballot measure after the Legislature authorizes it by passing S1622 and A4042, the “Municipal and School Board Options Act.” Princeton, and most recently South Brunswick, have passed such resolutions to add to the six other N.J. communities that have already done so. Ranked Choice Voting has been endorsed by Steven Fulop and Ras Baraka, gubernatorial candidates, and among our local Assembly candidates, by Mahmoud Desouky. Other candidates remain neutral or are against RCV. I hope you will urge your elected representatives to advocate for RCV so that this electoral reform will be available to allow us more choice in future elections.