Our American democracy will only work when we all believe it works, but the system seems to be increasingly broken. Many disillusioned voters around the country are turning to Ranked Choice Voting (RCV), a simple change to the way we vote that we can adopt now. It levels the playing field for candidates with the best ideas, not just those with the biggest bank accounts.

Ranked Choice Voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference — so every vote counts and every voice can be heard. RCV gives more meaningful choice to voters; it encourages more issue-focused campaigns and increased voter participation in elections.

RCV has been tested, and proven to work. Fourteen million U.S. voters in 22 states, both Red and Blue, already use RCV, and five Michigan municipalities have approved it and are awaiting implementation.

My sister-in-law, who spends her summers in Ossineke, is a resident of Maine, which uses RCV statewide. She says, “I’m all for it. From the voter’s perspective there is no downside to RCV. It’s more fair, it’s easy, and my votes aren’t wasted.”

My hope is for a democracy in which more people vote; for a government of the people, by the people, for the people. Ranked Choice Voting is one way to help make that happen.

Kathleen Dunckel

Harrisville