Detailing the Ranked-Choice Voting Method Adopted in New York City and Estimated Timeline for Results
Get the Scoop on New York City's Democratic Mayoral Primary with Ranked-Choice Voting
Voters in the NYC's Democratic primary are once again diving into the ranked-choice voting (RCV) pool, four years after a bumpy experience marked by a significant tabulation error. But this time, city officials are optimistic that the process will run smoother, thanks to a change in state law and learned lessons from the past.
Plenty of candidates are vying for the top spot in this year's primary, with former Governor Andrew Cuomo taking on a pack of progressive challengers, led by Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani.
Here's everything you need to know about this year's Democratic primary and how RCV works.
Timeline
- June 14-22: Early voting kicks off
- June 24: Election Day! First-choice results will be unveiled on this day, along with early and mail-in votes received by June 20.
- July 1: Deadline for mail-in ballots to be postmarked and initial RCV results released.
- July 15: Final certification of primary results by the New York City Board of Elections.
How it works, step-by-step
The process starts with a ballot that displays candidate names and columns for each numbered preference (up to five). Voters rank their preferences, and the ballots are tallied. If a candidate garners more than 50% of first-choice votes, they clinch the win.
However, if no candidate claims a majority, ballots are tabulated round by round. In each round, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are reallocated to voters' next-ranked choices until only two candidates remain. The winners are then declared based on the most votes.
When can we expect the results?
On Election Night, the NYC Board of Elections will provide first-choice results for the majority of ballots cast, including Election Day, early, and mail-in votes received by June 20.
A week later, on July 1, the board will release an initial look at the ranked-choice results, comprising rounds of tabulation but not including all the votes cast in the race. After this, the board will share updated counts and ranked-choice tabulations every Tuesday until the results are complete.
This means the order of candidates eliminated might change with each update as more votes are accounted for.
The CNN Decision Desk will project a winner either on Election Night if a candidate earns more than 50% of the first-choice votes, or after an RCV tabulation.
Common mistakes to avoid
Two major mistakes can invalidate a ballot:
- Ranking multiple candidates in the same position. In this case, the vote in that position and any further rankings in the race will be disregarded.
- Ranking the same candidate in every position. Though this won't invalidate a ballot, it has the same effect as only selecting a first choice. If the candidate is eliminated, the ballot is removed from the count.
Smoother sailing ahead?
The 2021 mayoral primary was far from a walk in the park, with delayed results and an error from the city board of elections that led to 135,000 test ballots being included in the RCV tabulation. Thankfully, changes in state law and reform initiatives promise to streamline the process this time around, ensuring a fair and accurate election.
Why the fuss about RCV?
While RCV might be more complicated for voters accustomed to a traditional single-choice system, proponents argue that it could be both more efficient and result in more representative winners.
In races with multiple strong contenders, the top candidate might win with a relatively small percentage of the vote. With RCV, voters can express their top preference while also recording other candidates they support. This eliminates the need for a separate runoff, saving time and money.
Additionally, RCV could encourage more positive campaigns, as candidates would need to appeal to a broader range of voters to secure second and third-choice votes, potentially reducing negative campaigning.
Critics' conclusions
Critics of RCV argue that the system is needlessly complicated and can lead to more rejected ballots, delayed and less transparent results, and an advantage for well-informed voters. In fact, 17 states have banned RCV in recent years, according to the conservative "Stop Ranked-Choice Voting Coalition."
- Politics and policy-and-legislation are at play in the upcoming New York City Democratic Mayoral Primary, with candidates like Andrew Cuomo and Zohran Mamdani seeking to advance their agendas.
- Despite some challenges in the past, the city is implementing ranked-choice voting once again for the primary, hoping for a smoother process and fairer election.
