Albany Branch News 

This information was provided to us prior to the meeting to be shared with the membership:

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What is Ranked Choice Voting Albany?

RCV Albany is a non-partisan, grassroots group of voters who are working to improve Albany's elections. Our movement began last summer and has been quickly gaining momentum, as we've found a lot of enthusiasm for Albany citywide for making our elections fairer, more inclusive, and more representative of our diverse communities.

How ranked choice voting works:
Here's a 1-minute video with a quick explainer about how ranked choice voting works 
And an infographic about the Albany proposal

Benefits of ranked choice voting:

• No more “spoiler effect” or vote splitting.

• Vote honestly without wasting your vote: If you believe in your first choice but don’t think they can win, just put backup choices!

• Increases the percentage of women and candidates of color elected

• Reduces divisiveness and toxicity in elections

• Voters generally love it once they try it

 

About a single unified election:
There are several models of ranked choice voting. The most common one used in cities around the U.S. (including Minneapolis, Oakland, San Francisco, and Santa Fe, and many others) involves a single unified election on Election Day in November. This is the model that we are proposing for Albany. That would mean that rather than a primary election followed by a redundant general election, all voters and all candidates would participate in the same election, using ranked choice voting. This would let ALL of Albany's voters, including unaffiliated ones, have a voice in the election that matters. It would also shorten and simplify the election process, boost voter turnout, and save hundreds of thousands of dollars for the city of Albany each cycle.

Our webpage with more details about the benefits of a single unified election

Who are these "unaffiliated voters"?
People who are registered to vote but are not affiliated with a political party have been steadily growing in number, and this number is likely to continue to increase. In Albany, unaffiliated voters are currently the second-largest "political party," making up 23% of registered voters. They have similar political leanings to the rest of the city (they strongly prefer Democrats), but they tend to be younger, and they're more likely to be veterans. There is a higher percentage of unaffiliated voters in Albany's minority wards than in its whitest wards. 

Why does this issue matter to the Black community?
For two important reasons!

First, in Albany, Black and Brown voters are more likely to be unaffiliated, which means they are currently shut out of the Democratic primary. Since in Albany this primary nearly always determines the outcome of the election, this means that nearly a quarter of minority voters currently have no voice in our city elections. Adopting the single unified election model would give more power to minority communities by giving ALL voters a voice.

Second, around the country, ranked choice voting with a single unified election has consistently resulted in larger numbers of candidates of color running for office and winning. Therefore, this improvement for Albany's elections would better ensure ongoing representation for Albany's minority communities.

What about political parties like the Democratic Party, the Working Families Party, and other parties?
Political parties would continue to be actively involved in Albany's elections. Party affiliations would continue to appear on the ballot with each candidate's name. Ballots would show each candidate's registered political party and any additional party affiliations as agreed on between the candidate and political parties. The parties would continue to endorse, promote, and build support for their preferred candidates.

Ranked choice voting can also make it easier for voters to support minor parties without "throwing away their vote" or worrying about the spoiler effect. If a voter likes a minor party candidate but thinks they may not win, they can vote for them as their first choice, but also list a backup choice. This can create viable pathways for strong third-party candidates to win elections, giving voters more choice and letting them vote honestly.

Who supports this in Albany?
The Ranked Choice Voting Albany proposal has been endorsed by:

• Carol June-Washington

• Joyce Love

• Carolyn McLaughlin

• Richard Conti

• Indivisible Albany

• We Are Revolutionary

• seven neighborhood associations (Beverwyck, Hudson Park, Mansion, North Albany, Park South, Washington Park, West End)

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 As always, it's recommended that you always fact-check any information that is provided to you. The information provided above is informational only and does not represent the views and opinions of the NAACP Albany Branch.