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UMass Amherst to Host a Discussion on Ranked Choice Voting
The University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Public Policy will host a discussion on the campaign for ranked choice voting in Massachusetts Tuesday, July 23, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at 209 Crotty Hall. The discussion, which will be led by Laurie Johnson, lecturer in economics at UMass Amherst, and Adam Friedman, executive director of Voter Choice Massachusetts, is free and open to the public.
The event will cover the electoral problems the ranked choice system aims to solve, what a ranked ballot looks like, how a winner is determined and where the system is used around the U.S. and the world. Johnson and Friedman will also discuss why supporters consider this voting system the most promising electoral reform within reach and how it could transform the culture of American politics.
The City of Cambridge has followed ranked choice voting since 1941, and the Town of Amherst became the second municipality in the state to adopt the system in March of 2018. Maine became the first state to use ranked choice voting statewide in 2018.
Light refreshments will be provided, including an ice cream tasting and a ranking of attendees’ favorite flavors.
Attendees are asked to RSVP for the event by emailing ltjohnson@umass.edu.