LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – When it comes to Ranked Choice Voting (RCV), Michigan clerks aren’t ranking it at all. In fact, 79% say no.
That’s according to straw poll results released last week by the Michigan Fair Elections Institute. It surveyed 1,533 local election officials in Michigan’s 83 counties. Currently, RCV advocates are collecting signatures for a November 2026 ballot initiative that would amend the state constitution in favor of the voting method. Several states defeated RCV at the ballot box last year while others, including local communities, still use it.
What is Ranked Choice Voting?
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RCV allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. Rank MI Vote, the group in charge of collecting petition signatures to place the issue on the ballot, describes RCV as a “simple upgrade.” According to its website, “If your 1st choice can’t win, your vote instantly counts toward your backup choice.”
“Multiple rounds of counting” for clerks.
The “simple upgrade” may not be that simple. Michigan News Source reached out to the Michigan Fair Elections Institute to get a better idea about how RCV would impact clerks’ responsibilities. Darlene Hennessey, the survey coordinator, said RCV would overwhelm the “unsung heroes of democracy.”
Hennessey told Michigan News Source, “With RCV, clerks must design, proof, and print more complex ballots that list multiple rankings for each race, which can easily force ballots onto a second page and increase printing and mailing volume.” She added, “Instead of reporting one clear set of totals on election night, RCV requires multiple rounds of counting, ballot transfers, and re-
running results until a candidate passes the 50%+1 threshold. This often delays results and complicating canvass and recount procedures.”
What about the voters?
It’s not uncommon for election day to sneak up on voters, or for some to be surprised at the candidates and issues on the ballot once they enter the voting booth. Hennessey said RCV education won’t just apply to clerks and election workers.
She said, “The need for voter education is another aspect which will add more burden on tight budgets.” Hennessey explained that “Some voters require more than one class to understand the way RCV works.”
Counting the cost.
New systems aren’t magically implemented with zero impact on the bottom line. Hennessey said the administrative burden RCV would create costs money that won’t necessarily be covered by the state’s budget. “This is not a one and done expense,” Hennessey said. “Those added layers [of RCV] the costs will always magnify existing administrative strain on local clerks and volunteers, with no stable source guaranteed to cover the ongoing expense.”
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Joe Spalding, who is spearheading the RCV initiative in Michigan, said in a Nov. 4 town hall in Hart that the benefits of RCV help the voters, not a particular political party. “We believe that ranked choice voting has the capability of changing the incentive of our elections and lowering the temperature of our politics,” Spaulding told the crowd.
What’s next?
Petition organizers and supporters of RCV must collect 426,000 valid names and signatures for the issue to appear on the November 2026 ballot.
