A campaign to introduce ranked choice voting in Michigan has halted its signature gathering for a proposed ballot initiative in 2026. The initiative, spearheaded by the group Rank MI Vote, aimed to completely overhaul Michigan’s electoral system.
Rank MI Vote Ends Signature Collection
Despite making strides in organizing efforts, Rank MI Vote announced that it will cease its current signature collection due to falling short of its goal. The campaign needed to gather 446,198 valid voter signatures within a specific 180-day period. As of early December, reports indicated that the group was more than 200,000 signatures away from achieving this target.
Future Plans for Ranked Choice Voting
While the current efforts are on pause, the organizers intend to refocus their campaign for the 2028 ballot. In an email to volunteers, statewide field co-directors Kate De Jong and Kate Grabowsky emphasized that although they are halting signature efforts, the drive to promote ranked choice voting continues. They are preparing for a second launch in April 2027.
Challenges Faced by the Campaign
- The Michigan Association of County Clerks and several conservative organizations have opposed the ranked choice voting initiative.
- Previous proposals for ranked choice voting have been rejected in other states, which raises concerns about voter acceptance in Michigan.
- Some state officials have described ranked choice voting as overly complicated and confusing, potentially jeopardizing the electoral process.
Legislative Response
In August, Michigan’s State House Republicans advanced legislation to ban ranked choice voting altogether. Although the Democratic-led Senate has not yet acted on this measure, House Speaker Matt Hall has encouraged swift legislative action against it.
Understanding Ranked Choice Voting
Ranked choice voting, also known as instant-runoff voting, allows voters to rank candidates by preference. The initial counting includes only voters’ top choices. If no candidate achieves a majority, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their supporters’ second choices are counted. This process continues until a candidate secures over 50% of the votes.
Executive director Pat Zabawa has expressed commitment from the group’s over 2,500 volunteers to revitalize the movement, pledge to lower political tensions, and increase voter turnout through ranked choice voting. Although the current ballot initiative is paused, the movement is far from over, as the group positions for its future endeavors in Michigan’s electoral reform.
