R Street Institute Letter of Support to Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin regarding VA SB 1009, Conduct Governing Ranked Choice Voting
February 21st, 2025
The Honorable Glenn Youngkin
Governor of Virginia
Patrick Henry Building
1111 E. Broad Street
3rd Floor
Richmond, VA 23219
RE: R Street Institute’s Support for Virginia Senate Bill 1009
Governor Youngkin,
My name is Dr. Jonathan Madison, and I am a Governance Fellow at the R Street Institute. I am writing to you today in support of Senate Bill 1009, legislation that would empower local governments to utilize ranked choice voting (RCV) for all local offices. The R Street Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy research organization. Our mission is to engage in policy analysis and outreach to promote free-markets, and limited, effective government in many areas, including election administration.
RCV allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, ensuring that elected officials have broad support. In elections with multiple candidates, RCV helps prevent winners from being elected with only a plurality, enhancing the legitimacy of the elected officials and increasing public confidence in the electoral process.[1] By encouraging candidates to seek second- and third-choice votes, RCV promotes more positive campaigning and reduces political polarization.[2] Candidates are incentivized to appeal to a broader base, fostering coalition-building and collaborative governance.[3]
Giving localities the authority to choose their preferred election method option strengthens the democratic process by allowing them to tailor election processes to their unique circumstances. SB 1009 also provides for the necessary election infrastructure and voter education materials to ensure smooth implementation of RCV where practiced.
In summary, SB 1009 offers a thoughtful approach to enhancing local elections in Virginia by allowing municipalities who wish to do so to adopt ranked choice voting. This flexibility can lead to more representative outcomes, improved voter engagement, and strengthened electoral processes. For these reasons, I ask that you give favorable consideration to SB 1009 and strongly urge you to sign this bill into law.
Thank you for your time,
Dr. Jonathan Madison
Governance Fellow
R Street Institute
385-500-7537
Jmadison@rstreet.org
[1] Cynthia McClintock, Electoral Rules and Democracy in Latin America (Oxford University Press, 2018), pp. 29-64.
[2] Rachel Leven and Tyler Fisher, “Alaska’s Election Model: How the Top-Four Nonpartisan Primary System Improves Participation, Competition, and Representation”, Unite America Institute, October 2023, https://www.uniteamericainstitute.org/research/alaskas-election-model-how-the-top-four-nonpartisan-primary-system-improves-participation-competition-and-representation.
[3] FairVote, “Ranked Choice Voting” https://fairvote.org/our-reforms/ranked-choice-voting/.