Reform tracker · 50 states
Ranked-choice voting
Voters rank the candidates in order of preference instead of choosing only one.
- States
- 50
- Not confirmed
- 2 values
- Changes pending
- 5
Research draft. We gathered this from official sources: election offices, state laws and court records, each linked to its source. Separate reviewers checked a random sample of 64 facts from the reform research against the cited sources and found 6 errors, since corrected; 1 couldn’t be checked because the source wouldn’t display its text. The rest hasn't been reviewed fact by fact yet, so check the linked source before relying on anything here.
§1State and federal elections
Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.
- Used
- The state uses ranked ballots in some of its own elections, such as primaries or races for Congress.
- Military and overseas runoff ballots only
- Used only on the ranked ballots that military and overseas voters send in advance, in case a runoff is needed.
- Not used
- The state doesn’t use ranked ballots in its elections.
- Not confirmed
- We couldn’t confirm this from an official source.
A full mark means the state uses ranked ballots in its own elections; a half mark, only for military and overseas voters’ runoff ballots. The marks show how far the practice applies, not whether it is a good idea.
- Used3 states
- Military and overseas runoff ballots only5 states
- Not used41 states
- Not confirmed1 state
| State | Status | What the law says |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Not confirmed | Statewide ranked-choice use is left blank. Act 2024-338 bans ranked-choice voting except for voters who vote absentee under the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (Act § 1; Candidate Filing Guide p. 47), but whether Alabama actually gives those voters ranked primary ballots for a possible runoff (Code § 17-13-8.1, which takes effect only after a Secretary of State notice) could not be confirmed from a source we could read by permitted means. On a slower re-check on 2026-10-27, the Secretary of State's Military/Overseas Voting page and 2026 Voter Guide described separate primary runoff ballots (and the federal write-in ballot) for these voters and did not mention ranked ballots; that suggests ranked ballots are not in use, but neither says so. |
| Alaska | Used1, | State law requires every state general election to be counted by ranked-choice voting, which covers the races for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor and lieutenant governor, and the Legislature on the November 3, 2026 ballot.1, |
| Arizona | Not used5, | In a party primary the candidate with the most votes is declared the party's nominee.5 Where in the source: A.R.S. § 16-645(A) In the general election the Secretary of State declares elected the candidate with the highest number of votes for each state office.6 Where in the source: A.R.S. § 16-650 |
| Arkansas | Military and overseas runoff ballots only7, | Military and overseas voters who are outside the United States get a special runoff ballot with their primary and general election ballots, on which they rank the candidates in each race with three or more candidates.7, |
| California | Not used9 | State legislative, statewide executive and congressional races use a top-two primary in which voters pick one candidate, and the top two vote-getters then face each other in the general election; no ranked ballot is used in these races.9 Where in the source: How are primary elections conducted in California? Only the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and voter-nominated offices in special elections, can be won outright with a majority in the primary.9 |
| Colorado | Not used10 | Colorado does not use ranked ballots for state or federal offices: primary nominees are the candidates with the most votes, and at the general election the candidate with the most votes for a state office is declared elected.10 Where in the source: §§ 1-4-104, 1-11-106 Under a 2024 law that took effect March 1, 2026 (SB 24-210), ranked voting cannot be used for state or federal offices until the Secretary of State certifies that cities in counties of four different size groups have run ranked elections with their county clerks, that certain language and population conditions are met, and that audits confirmed those results.10 Where in the source: § 1-7-1002(2.5) The same conditions must be met before any all-candidate primary could be held.10 Where in the source: § 1-4-101(6) |
| Connecticut | Not used11, | Connecticut does not use ranked ballots: the candidate with the most votes wins for governor and the other statewide offices, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, the state legislature and probate judge.11, |
| Delaware | Not used13 | Delaware does not use ranked ballots: in every election the candidate with the most votes wins unless a law says otherwise, and primary nominees are also chosen by plurality.13, |
| Florida | Not used15, | State law bars ranked-choice voting for any local, state or federal office in Florida, for both elections and nominations.15 The candidate with the most votes wins a general or special election, and the candidate with the most votes in a primary is nominated.16, |
| Georgia | Military and overseas runoff ballots only18 | Under a 2021 law (SB 202), military and overseas voters receive a special absentee runoff ballot with their primary or general election ballot, on which they number the candidates in order of preference for use in a runoff for that office.18 Where in the source: Section 27, O.C.G.A. § 21-2-384(e) All other voters cast a single choice: a candidate needs a majority of the votes to win, and if no one gets one, the top two candidates meet in a runoff, which for the 2026 general election would be held December 1, 2026.18, |
| Hawaii | Used20 | State law (HRS § 11-100) requires ranked-choice voting for any federal election held on a day other than the regular primary or general election, such as a special election to fill a U.S. House vacancy.20 Where in the source: Ranked-Choice Voting Regular primary and general elections for state and federal offices are not among the elections the Office of Elections lists as using ranked ballots.20 Where in the source: Ranked-Choice Voting When no one has a majority of first choices, the last-place candidate is dropped in each round and those ballots count for each voter's next choice until one candidate has a majority (HRS § 11-110).20 Where in the source: How does ranked-choice voting work? |
| Idaho | Not used21, | State law bars county election offices from using ranked-choice or instant runoff voting to nominate or elect anyone to a local, statewide or federal office.21 Where in the source: § 34-903B(1) The candidate with the most votes wins a party nomination in the primary and wins the office in the general election.22, |
| Illinois | Not used25, | The candidate with the most votes wins a state executive office in the general election, and the candidate with the most votes in a party primary becomes the nominee.25, |
| Indiana | Not used29 | Public Law 5-2026 (Senate Enrolled Act 12), in effect since July 1, 2026, says no election in Indiana may be decided by ranked-choice voting and no candidate may be nominated or elected that way (IC 3-5-4-16).29 Where in the source: p. 4, Ranked Choice Voting Prohibited The law defines ranked-choice voting as letting voters rank candidates and counting ballots in rounds, dropping candidates, until one has a majority (IC 3-5-2.1-87.5).29 Where in the source: p. 7, Definitions |
| Iowa | Not used30, | A 2025 law, in effect since January 1, 2026, says no election in Iowa may be conducted with ranked-choice or instant runoff voting.30 Where in the source: § 49.93(2); 2025 Acts, ch 123, §§ 20, 21 In a party primary the candidate with the most votes wins the nomination, but if a race has more than two candidates and no one gets at least 35 percent, the party chooses the nominee at a convention instead.31 Where in the source: § 43.65 |
| Kansas | Not used32, | Kansas elects its officers by plurality: the candidate with the most votes wins, and the governor and lieutenant governor are elected as a pair the same way.33 Where in the source: § 25-702(a), (b) Since 2025, state law bars any ranked-choice method for electing or nominating candidates for federal, state, county or other local offices.32 Where in the source: § 25-442(a) |
| Kentucky | Not used34, | In a Kentucky primary, the candidate with the most votes is the nominee, and there is no runoff.35 Where in the source: KRS 118.245(1) Since July 15, 2024, state law bars ranked-choice voting for electing or nominating candidates to any local, state or federal office.34 Where in the source: KRS 117.147(1) |
| Louisiana | Military and overseas runoff ballots only36, | Military and overseas voters receive a ranking ballot for the general election along with their primary ballot, so their votes can count in a runoff they could not otherwise vote in on time.37 These voters number the candidates in order of preference. If their first choice does not advance from the primary, their vote goes to their next ranked choice who is still in the race.37 All other voters use single-choice ballots, and state law bars ranked-choice voting except for these military and overseas ballots.36 Where in the source: R.S. 18:404(A)–(B) |
| Maine | Used38, | Ranked-choice voting is used in primary elections for U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative, Governor, State Senator and State Representative.38 Where in the source: 21-A M.R.S. § 1(27-C)(A) It is also used in general and special elections for U.S. Senator and U.S. Representative, in general elections for presidential electors, and in presidential primaries. General elections for Governor and the Legislature are not on this list.38 Where in the source: 21-A M.R.S. § 1(27-C)(B), (D), (E) Ranked counting applies only when at least three candidates are on the ballot for the office, or two plus at least one declared write-in candidate. Votes are counted in rounds, dropping the last-place candidate each round, as the counting law sets out.38, |
| Maryland | Not used40, | State and federal winners in Maryland are the candidates with the most votes, as certified by the Board of State Canvassers.40 Where in the source: Election Law § 11-503(a)(2) The governor and lieutenant governor are likewise the pair with the highest number of votes.41 Where in the source: Md. Const. art. II, § 3 |
| Massachusetts | Not used42, | For offices the state constitution creates, the candidate with the most votes wins, whether or not that is a majority.42 Where in the source: Amend. art. XIV Party nominations in primaries are also decided by plurality vote, and we found no state law that uses ranked ballots for state or federal offices.43 |
| Michigan | Not used44, | Election canvassers declare the candidate with the most votes elected for governor, and the same rule applies to state legislative races.44, |
| Minnesota | Not used47 | The State Canvassing Board declares elected the candidate with the most votes for each federal office and each state office voted on in more than one county.47 Where in the source: subd. 3 |
| Mississippi | Military and overseas runoff ballots only48 | When an election may be followed by a runoff, military and overseas voters receive a ranked runoff ballot along with their first ballot, and it is counted only if a runoff is held, for the highest-ranked candidate still in the race.48 Where in the source: p. 32 Other voters use single-choice ballots; governors and other statewide officials need a majority of the votes, with a runoff if no one gets one.49 Where in the source: Art. 5, § 140 |
| Missouri | Not used50 | Since a constitutional amendment approved on November 5, 2024, voters get one vote per issue and as many votes for an office as there are seats to fill, and no ballot may rank candidates.50 Where in the source: Art. VIII, § 3.2 |
| Montana | Not used51, | Montana's constitution says the candidate or candidates with the most votes win, so races are decided by plurality.51 A 2023 law (Ch. 296, L. 2023) bars ranked-choice voting in any election held under the state's election and school election titles, for local, state and federal offices alike.52 Where in the source: § 13-1-125(1) |
| Nebraska | Not used53, | The state canvassing board declares the candidates with the most votes nominated or elected, and breaks a tie for the top spot by lot, except for executive branch offices.53 In nonpartisan races such as the Legislature, the two candidates with the most primary votes advance to the general election, where the higher vote-getter wins.53, |
| Nevada | Not used55, | Winners of state, legislative and congressional races are the candidates with the most votes; the Governor issues certificates of election to them.55 Where in the source: NRS 293.395(3) Nevada's election law (NRS chapter 293) and its constitution, as revised in 2026 to include amendments approved at the 2024 general election, contain no ranked-choice voting or top-five primary provision.56, |
| New Hampshire | Not used58 | After a state general election, the Secretary of State declares elected the candidates who received the most votes for each office.58 The state election title of the statutes (RSA Title LXIII) contains no ranked-choice voting provision in the chapters we searched.59 |
| New Jersey | Not used60, | State law says that at every election the qualified candidate or candidates with the most votes, up to the number of seats, are elected, so New Jersey does not use ranked ballots for state, legislative or congressional races.60 Where in the source: N.J.S.A. 19:3-4 Party nominees are also chosen by the most votes in the primary, and the Constitution elects the governor and lieutenant governor, who run jointly, by the most votes.60, |
| New Mexico | Not used62, | The state constitution says the candidate with the most votes wins a state or federal race, and the governor and lieutenant governor are elected together as a ticket that needs the most votes.62 Where in the source: Art. VII, § 5(B) The constitution does not let the Legislature create runoffs for municipal, primary or statewide elections, and the Election Code's only ranked-ballot provision applies to city runoffs.62, |
| New York | Not used64 | The New York City Board of Elections lists the offices that do not use ranked ballots, and the list includes President, Governor, U.S. Senate, Congress, State Senate and Assembly.64 The board says ranked ballots apply only to New York City offices at this time.64 |
| North Carolina | Not used65 | North Carolina's election law, Chapter 163 of the General Statutes, has no provision for ranked ballots in any state or federal race, including ballots for military and overseas voters.65 In a party primary, a candidate needs more than 30 percent of the vote to win; if no one gets that, the runner-up may ask for a second primary between the top two.65 Where in the source: G.S. 163-111(a)-(b) |
| North Dakota | Not used66 | The candidate with the most votes wins, unless a state law says otherwise.66 Where in the source: N.D.C.C. § 16.1-01-06 State law bars ranked-choice voting and approval voting in any election that elects or nominates a candidate for local, state or federal office.66 Where in the source: N.D.C.C. § 16.1-01-06.1(2) |
| Ohio | Not used67, | State law bars ranked-choice and instant runoff voting in Ohio's general, special and primary elections, so no state or federal race uses ranked ballots.67, |
| Oklahoma | Not used69, | State law bars ranked ballots and instant runoff counting in every election run by the State Election Board or a county election board, so no state or federal race uses them, including ballots for military and overseas voters.69 Where in the source: § 1-112(A)-(C) In a party primary, a candidate needs a majority of the votes; if no one gets one, the top two meet in a separate runoff primary on the fourth Tuesday in August.70 |
| Oregon | Not used71, | Oregon law elects or nominates the candidate who gets the most votes, and the state election chapters contain no ranked choice provisions.71 Where in the source: ORS 254.065(1) In 2023 the Legislature referred House Bill 2004 to voters; it would have used ranked choice voting for President, Congress and four statewide executive offices, and it appeared on the November 5, 2024 ballot as Measure 117.73, |
| Pennsylvania | Not used75, | The Pennsylvania Election Code declares elected the candidates who get the most votes for an office, and it contains no ranked choice provisions.75 Where in the source: § 1417 In primaries, the candidates with the most votes go on to the general election, according to the Department of State.76 |
| Rhode Island | Not used77, | The Rhode Island Constitution elects the candidate with the most votes in every election for state, city, town, ward or district office.77 Where in the source: Art. IV, § 2 State law also nominates the primary candidate with the most votes, even without a majority, and elects the candidate with the most votes for U.S. Senate and House.78, |
| South Carolina | Military and overseas runoff ballots only80, | Military and overseas voters receive, with their primary ballot, a ranked absentee instant runoff ballot for each possible runoff primary, so their choices can count if a runoff is needed; the law dates from 2015.80, |
| South Dakota | Not used84, | State law bars ranked choice voting for any office in South Dakota, so no state or federal race uses ranked ballots.84, |
| Tennessee | Not used88, | A 2022 law (Public Chapter 621) bars county election commissions from using instant runoff or ranked choice voting in any election for a statewide or local government office.88, |
| Texas | Not used90 | Unless another law says otherwise, the candidate with the most votes wins a Texas election; where a law requires a majority, a separate runoff election is held instead.90 Where in the source: §§ 2.001, 2.021 Party primary nominees need a majority of the vote, and a runoff primary is held if no candidate gets one.91 Where in the source: §§ 172.003, 172.004 No section of the Texas Election Code provides for ranked ballots.92 |
| Utah | Not used93 | In Utah elections and primaries, the candidate with the most votes wins or is nominated.93 Where in the source: § 20A-1-303(1) The only exception the law listed was a pilot program for city elections, which has since been repealed.93, |
| Vermont | Not used95, | In a party primary, the candidate with the most votes from that party's voters becomes its nominee.95 Where in the source: § 2369(a) Governor, lieutenant governor and treasurer need a majority of the votes; if no candidate gets one, the House and Senate together choose from the top three vote-getters.96 Where in the source: ch. II, § 47 |
| Virginia | Not used97, | In Virginia elections, the candidate with the most votes wins the office unless a law provides otherwise, and there is no runoff.97 Where in the source: § 24.2-673(A) The state law that allows ranked choice voting covers only elections for members of local governing bodies, so state and federal offices are elected by plurality.98 Where in the source: § 24.2-673.1(B) |
| Washington | Not used99, | State and congressional races are decided in a November general election between the two candidates who received the most votes in the top-two primary.99 Where in the source: RCW 29A.52.112(2) The Secretary of State's 2026 Election Law Book, which compiles the state's election statutes and rules, contains no provision for ranked ballots in state or federal elections.100 |
| West Virginia | Not used101, | State law bars ranked choice and instant runoff voting for any statewide or federal election or nomination.101 Where in the source: § 3-1-52(b) Primary nominations are decided by plurality, with the top vote-getter named the party nominee.102 Where in the source: § 3-5-4(b) |
| Wisconsin | Not used103 | In every Wisconsin election for an office, each voter has one vote per office and the candidate with the most votes is elected.103 Where in the source: § 5.01(3)(a) Wisconsin's election statutes in chapters 5 through 8 contain no provision for ranked ballots.104, |
| Wyoming | Not used108 | Candidates who receive the most votes for each office at the general election are elected, and the election code says it does not authorize ranked choice voting in any Wyoming election.108 Where in the source: W.S. 22-2-117(a) Primary nominees are likewise the candidates with the most votes on each party ballot.108 Where in the source: W.S. 22-5-215 |
§2Local elections
Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.
- Used locally
- At least one city, county or town uses ranked ballots.
- Allowed
- State law lets local governments use it; we didn’t confirm that any does.
- Prohibited
- State law bars local governments from using it.
- No state law found
- We found no state law on it. This doesn’t mean local governments may use it.
- Not confirmed
- We couldn’t confirm this from an official source.
A full mark means at least one local government uses it; a half mark, that state law allows it. The marks show how far the practice applies, not whether it is a good idea.
- Used locally10 states
- Allowed3 states
- Prohibited18 states
- No state law found18 states
- Not confirmed1 state
| State | Status | What the law says |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Prohibited109 | Act 2024-338 added Code §§ 11-46-10 and 17-1-6, which bar ranked-choice voting in electing or nominating any local office holder, effective October 1, 2024.109 Where in the source: Act 2024-338 §§ 1-2 The only exception is for voters entitled to vote absentee under UOCAVA.109 Where in the source: § 11-46-10(d) |
| Alaska | No state law found1, | The state's ranked-choice rule applies to state general elections; the municipal election chapter lets each city or borough governing body set its own election rules and runoff thresholds by ordinance and does not mention ranked-choice voting.1, |
| Arizona | No state law found111, | We found no section of Arizona's election title (Title 16) or its cities and towns title (Title 9) whose heading deals with ranked-choice voting, either to allow or to ban it.111, |
| Arkansas | Prohibited7 | Ark. Code § 7-1-116, added by Act 829 of 2025, bans ranked-choice voting in electing or nominating candidates for local, state or federal office and makes any conflicting county or city ordinance void.7 Where in the source: Ark. Code § 7-1-116(b)-(c) (PDF p. 101) The ban does not apply to voters covered by the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act or the state's matching law for military and overseas voters.7 Where in the source: Ark. Code § 7-1-116(d) |
| California | Used locally113 | San Francisco's Department of Elections says the city has used ranked-choice voting for most local offices, including the Board of Supervisors, since November 2004, with voters ranking up to 10 candidates.113 Where in the source: When we use ranked-choice voting Other California cities may also use ranked-choice voting; this list is incomplete, and we did not read the state statutes on local election methods because the Legislature's code site was blocked.113 |
| Colorado | Used locally10, | State law lets cities, towns and special districts hold elections with ranked voting if their charter does not forbid it and their voting system can count it, and a city can ask its county clerk to run the ranked election alongside other local races.10 Where in the source: §§ 1-7-1001.3, 1-7-1002(2), 1-7-118 The City of Boulder elects its mayor by ranked choice voting, first used in November 2023, according to Boulder County Elections.114 Fort Collins voters approved ranked voting in 2022 for mayor and city council races with three or more candidates, starting with the 2025 city election.115 Boulder County notes that several other small Colorado towns have used ranked voting with hand-counted ballots, so this list of places is not complete.114 |
| Connecticut | No state law found11, | State election law says a plurality of the votes is enough to win a municipal election unless another law says otherwise.11 We found no statute that allows or bans ranked choice voting in the election title of the General Statutes, the 2026 Supplement, the home rule chapter, or the legislature's summaries of the 2025 and 2026 election laws.11, |
| Delaware | No state law found13, | We found no provision on ranked choice voting anywhere in Delaware's election title, including its chapter on municipal elections, so state law neither allows nor bans it as far as we could find.117 The general rule that a plurality of votes decides an election applies unless another law provides otherwise.13 |
| Florida | Prohibited15 | The 2022 ban (chapter 2022-73, Laws of Florida, later amended in 2023) covers local offices, and it voids any existing or future county, city or other local ordinance that conflicts with it.15 Where in the source: § 101.019(1)-(2) |
| Georgia | Not confirmed | Local ranked-choice status is left blank. The only Georgia election law we could read is SB 202 as passed in 2021, which keeps the majority-and-runoff rule (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-501(a)(1)) and does not mention local ranked-choice voting; the current Code is vendor-hosted behind a terms click-through and the Secretary of State's site was blocked, so we could not check whether a later law allows or bans it. Bill trackers, used only as pointers, report that a bill to ban ranked-choice voting except for military and overseas voters (SB 175, 2025-2026) passed the Senate in March 2025 and lost on the House floor on March 31, 2026; the General Assembly shows bill status only through a script-driven site, so we could not confirm this from an official source. |
| Hawaii | Allowed20, | The same state law requires ranked-choice voting in any special election to fill a vacant seat on a county council.20 Where in the source: Ranked-Choice Voting The City and County of Honolulu's statement in the 2026 voter guide says state law now limits ranked-choice voting for city offices to these council vacancy elections.118 Where in the source: p. 87, Honolulu Charter Question #5, Present Situation |
| Idaho | Prohibited21 | The ban, added in 2023, covers every city, county, school district, special taxing district and other local unit governed by elected officials.21 Where in the source: § 34-903B(2)(a); history note 2023, ch. 135 Any local ordinance that conflicts with the ban is void, and the law lists no exceptions.21 Where in the source: § 34-903B(3) |
| Illinois | Allowed27 | A city, village or town may pass an ordinance requiring a ranked mail ballot for municipal and township offices, used only by military and overseas voters so their choices can count if a race goes on from the consolidated primary to the consolidated election.27 Where in the source: § 16-5.01(c) The municipality's election authority must first attest that it can run an election with ranked ballots, and the State Board of Elections writes the rules for counting them.27 Where in the source: § 16-5.01(c) |
| Indiana | Prohibited29 | The 2026 ban covers every election conducted in Indiana, so it applies to city, town, county and school elections as well as state and federal ones; the Election Division's summary lists no exceptions.29 Where in the source: p. 4, Ranked Choice Voting Prohibited |
| Iowa | Prohibited30 | The ban covers any election in the state, including city, county and school elections, and the section lists no exceptions.30 Where in the source: § 49.93(2)(a) |
| Kansas | Prohibited32 | The ban covers county and other municipal offices as well as federal and state offices, and it was enacted as L. 2025, ch. 18, in force from April 10, 2025.32 Where in the source: § 25-442(a); History Any local ordinance, resolution or regulation adopted before July 1, 2025 that would use ranked-choice voting is void. The law lists no exceptions.32 Where in the source: § 25-442(c) |
| Kentucky | Prohibited34, | The ban applies to local offices, and any existing or future county, city or other local ordinance that conflicts with it is void.34 Where in the source: KRS 117.147(1)–(2) It was added to 2024 House Bill 44, which became law as 2024 Ky. Acts ch. 177 after the General Assembly overrode the governor's veto on April 12, 2024. The law lists no exceptions.34, |
| Louisiana | Prohibited36 | State law bars ranked-choice and instant-runoff voting for electing or nominating candidates to any local, state or federal office. It was enacted as Acts 2024, No. 291, in force from May 28, 2024.36 Where in the source: R.S. 18:404(A) The only exception is for ballots cast by military and overseas voters under federal law.36 Where in the source: R.S. 18:404(B) |
| Maine | Allowed120, | Local elections follow the state election law unless Title 30-A or a city charter provides otherwise. A town meeting may choose a method other than plurality at least 180 days before an election, and a city charter may do the same.120, |
| Maryland | Used locally124 | The City of Takoma Park elects its mayor and city council by ranked-choice voting, including at its November 3, 2026 city election. If no candidate wins a majority of first choices, the last-place candidate is dropped and those ballots go to their next choice until someone has a majority.124 Takoma Park is the locality we confirmed from an official page; other Maryland localities may also use ranked-choice voting. We found no state statute that bans it.124 |
| Massachusetts | Used locally125, | Cambridge elects its nine city councilors with ranked ballots counted by proportional representation, as its official November 2025 results show.125 A 2019 special act changed Easthampton's charter to use ranked-choice voting for mayor and district city councilors, each part subject to approval by the city's voters.126 The general chapter of state law on proportional and preferential voting for city and town officers was repealed in 1972, so local use rests on city charters and special acts the legislature approves.126, |
| Michigan | No state law found46, | We searched the full Michigan Election Law and found no statute that allows or bans ranked-choice voting in local elections.46 City officers are nominated and elected under each city's charter, subject to listed parts of the Election Law.128 |
| Minnesota | Used locally129, | Minneapolis has used ranked-choice voting in its municipal elections since 2009, letting voters rank up to three candidates for each office.129 We found no state statute on ranked-choice voting in the chapters on municipal elections, voting systems or general election procedures.130, |
| Mississippi | No state law found48, | The Secretary of State's county and municipal election handbooks describe ranked ballots only for military and overseas runoff ballots, and say a party primary nominee needs a majority, with a runoff between the top two if no one wins one.48, |
| Missouri | Prohibited50 | The 2024 amendment bars ranking candidates in all elections by the people, including local elections.50 Where in the source: Art. VIII, § 3.2 It exempts nonpartisan municipal elections in any city that, as of November 5, 2024, had an ordinance letting voters cast more than one vote per issue or candidate.50 Where in the source: Art. VIII, § 3.2 |
| Montana | Prohibited52 | Since 2023, state law has barred local governments and school districts from using ranked-choice voting to elect or nominate candidates; the text lists no exceptions.52 Where in the source: § 13-1-125(1) The law defines ranked-choice voting as voters ranking candidates in order, with ballots counted in rounds and the last-place candidate dropped until someone has a majority.52 Where in the source: § 13-1-125(2) |
| Nebraska | No state law found53, | We found no section on ranked-choice voting in the Nebraska Election Act: no section title in Chapter 32 mentions it, and the ballot, counting and canvass sections we read do not mention ranked ballots.53, |
| Nevada | No state law found56, | We found no statute on ranked-choice voting in the state election law (NRS chapter 293) or the city election law (NRS chapter 293C); neither allows or bars it in the text we searched.56, |
| New Hampshire | No state law found59 | We found no statute that allows or bars ranked-choice voting in the election chapters covering state, town and school district elections (RSA chapters 652 through 662, 669 and 671).59 We did not check city charters or other titles of the statutes, so a local rule elsewhere may exist.59 |
| New Jersey | No state law found60, | The full text of the state statutes, updated through P.L.2026, c.50, has no provision that allows or bans ranked-choice or instant runoff voting.60 Municipal elections follow the same most-votes rule, and a municipality whose elections fall under the Uniform Nonpartisan Elections Law may instead adopt majority runoff elections by referendum.60 Where in the source: N.J.S.A. 19:3-4; 40:45-6; 40:45-18 to 40:45-21 A 2026 Senate bill, S1643, would let municipalities and school boards adopt ranked-choice voting by ordinance and referendum or by voter petition; it was pre-filed for the 2026 session, and the statutes as updated through P.L.2026, c.50 contain no such law.60, |
| New Mexico | Used locally62, | A city whose laws call for runoffs may choose by ordinance between a separate top-two runoff and a ranked-choice runoff counted on the same ballot as the regular local election; the ordinance must be filed with the Secretary of State by June 30 of the election year.62, |
| New York | Used locally64 | New York City uses ranked ballots in primary and special elections for Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller, Borough President and City Council, under a City Charter amendment that city voters approved in 2019.64 Voters may rank up to five candidates, and counting goes in rounds, dropping the last-place candidate each round, until two remain; the one with more votes wins.64 We checked only New York City, so other local governments that use ranked ballots, if any, are not listed here.64 |
| North Carolina | No state law found65, | We found no statute on ranked-choice voting in Chapter 163.65 State law gives cities four ways to run their elections: partisan, nonpartisan plurality, nonpartisan election with a runoff, or nonpartisan primary and election; none of these uses ranked ballots.65, |
| North Dakota | Prohibited66 | The ban covers local offices, and any county, city or other local ordinance that conflicts with it is void, including one adopted under a home rule charter.66 Where in the source: N.D.C.C. § 16.1-01-06.1(2)-(3) The section lists no exceptions.66 Where in the source: N.D.C.C. § 16.1-01-06.1 |
| Ohio | Prohibited67, | The bans apply except where the home-rule articles of the Ohio Constitution for counties and cities (Articles X and XVIII) allow otherwise.67, |
| Oklahoma | Prohibited69 | The ban also covers any municipality that runs its own elections, and it makes any county, city or other local ordinance that conflicts with it void.69 Where in the source: § 1-112(A), (D) The ban was enacted in 2024 (HB 3156) and took effect on November 1, 2024; the section lists no exceptions.69 Where in the source: Historical Data The Secretary of the State Election Board, or the Senate President Pro Tempore and House Speaker acting together, may go to court to enforce it.69 Where in the source: § 1-112(E) |
| Oregon | Used locally140, | Portland and Multnomah County voters approved measures in November 2022 requiring ranked choice voting for all city and county candidate races, which no longer have primaries; on November 3, 2026 it is used for Multnomah County Chair and District 2 Commissioner and for Portland City Auditor and City Council Districts 3 and 4.140, |
| Pennsylvania | No state law found75 | We found no statute that allows or bans ranked choice voting for local offices; the Election Code's most-votes rule applies to any election unless another law says otherwise.75 Where in the source: § 1417 |
| Rhode Island | No state law found77, | No statute authorizes or bans ranked choice voting; a 2011 law (the Voter Choice Act) only created a commission to study instant runoff and other ranked voting methods.143, |
| South Carolina | No state law found145 | We found no South Carolina statute that allows or bans ranked choice voting in local elections; the municipal election law lets each city or town choose either a most-votes method or a majority-with-runoff method.145 Where in the source: §§ 5-15-60, 5-15-61, 5-15-62 |
| South Dakota | Prohibited84, | A 2023 law (SL 2023, ch 43) says the State Board of Elections may not authorize, and no political subdivision may adopt or enforce, a voting system in which voters rank candidates and votes are transferred in rounds until someone wins.84, |
| Tennessee | Prohibited88, | The 2022 ban covers every kind of local government, including cities, towns, counties, metropolitan governments and school, utility or other local districts.89 The law lists no exceptions.89 |
| Texas | No state law found90, | We found no section of the Texas Election Code that mentions ranked choice or instant runoff voting, either to allow it or to ban it.92 The code's default rules are plurality wins, or a majority with a runoff where a law requires one.90 Where in the source: §§ 2.001, 2.021 |
| Utah | No state law found93, | The Municipal Alternate Voting Methods Pilot Project, which let cities try ranked choice voting, was set by law to be repealed on January 1, 2026, and the current Election Code refers to it as repealed.94, |
| Vermont | Used locally148 | Burlington's city charter, as amended by the General Assembly in 2022 and 2023, requires ranked choice voting with no separate runoff for mayor, city council, school commissioners and ward election officers.148 A candidate with a majority of first choices wins; otherwise an instant runoff count is done.148 We confirmed Burlington only, so other towns or cities may also use it.148 |
| Virginia | Used locally98, | A county board of supervisors, city council or, under the 2026 amendments, any local governing body may choose ranked choice voting for its own elections by a majority vote, after consulting the local electoral board and general registrar; the option was first allowed by a 2020 law.98, |
| Washington | No state law found100, | We found no state statute or rule on ranked choice voting in the 2026 Election Law Book, so state election law neither allows nor bans it for local elections.100 A 2025 bill, HB 1448, that would have let local governments adopt ranked choice voting did not pass; the Legislature's bill page shows it still in the House Appropriations Committee.152 Seattle voters approved Proposition 1B in November 2022, which requires ranked choice voting in Seattle's city primaries; King County Elections says the first such primary will be on August 3, 2027.153 |
| West Virginia | Prohibited101, | No county or local elections office may use ranked choice or instant runoff voting for any local government office, and any local ordinance that conflicts is void.101 Where in the source: § 3-1-52(b)-(c) The ban was enacted as Senate Bill 490 in the 2025 regular session and took effect June 5, 2025; it lists no exceptions.101, |
| Wisconsin | No state law found103, | We found no statute that allows or bans ranked choice voting in chapters 5 through 8 of the Wisconsin Statutes, which govern state and local elections.104, |
| Wyoming | Prohibited108 | Any existing or future county, city or other local ordinance that tries to authorize ranked choice voting is void under state law.108 Where in the source: W.S. 22-2-117(a) The law defines the barred method broadly, covering ranked ballots counted in rounds and any system that lets a voter vote for more candidates than there are seats; it lists no exceptions.108 Where in the source: W.S. 22-2-117(a) |
§3Changes pending
Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.
Laws not yet in effect, open court cases and November 3 measures that would change a status above.
- Alaska. If voters approve Ballot Measure No. 2 (24ESEG) on November 3, 2026, the top-four primary and ranked-choice general elections would end, party primaries would again choose party nominees, general-election winners would be chosen by the most votes, and campaign finance rules added in 2020 would be repealed.3,
155 Where in the source: Sample ballot HD1-JD1, Ballot Measure No. 2 If voters reject Ballot Measure No. 2, the top-four primary, the ranked-choice general elections and the 2020 campaign finance rules stay in place under current law.1, 3, 156 - Hawaii. Honolulu voters will decide Charter Question 5 on November 3, 2026, which asks whether the City should elect its mayor, council and prosecuting attorney by ranked-choice voting in a single November election starting in 2032.118 Where in the source: p. 87, 2026 Proposed Amendments to the Honolulu City Charter, Question #5
- Virginia. The Department of Elections lists January 1, 2027 as the effective date of the 2026 bills that extend the ranked choice voting option to every local governing body, including town councils, and make the option permanent.157 Where in the source: HB630 and SB176
- Washington. Seattle's city primaries are set to use ranked choice voting starting August 3, 2027.153
§4Notes on the research
The research notes that mention ranked-choice voting, in their own plain words: what couldn't be read or confirmed, and judgment calls a reviewer should look at.
Alabama2 notes
- We could not confirm from a Secretary of State page that the special UOCAVA ranked primary ballot in Code § 17-13-8.1 is in use; subsection (h) says it takes effect only after the Secretary of State notifies the Code Commissioner that a federal court order on runoff timing was vacated (or is not needed). The SoS military and overseas voting page does not mention it. The statewide value assumes the statute is in operation; a reviewer should confirm.
- Statewide ranked-choice use is left blank. Act 2024-338 bans ranked-choice voting except for voters who vote absentee under the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (Act § 1; Candidate Filing Guide p. 47), but whether Alabama actually gives those voters ranked primary ballots for a possible runoff (Code § 17-13-8.1, which takes effect only after a Secretary of State notice) could not be confirmed from a source we could read by permitted means. On a slower re-check on 2026-10-27, the Secretary of State's Military/Overseas Voting page and 2026 Voter Guide described separate primary runoff ballots (and the federal write-in ballot) for these voters and did not mention ranked ballots; that suggests ranked ballots are not in use, but neither says so.
Alaska1 note
- The local ranked-choice value rests on reading AS 29.26.010-.070 (municipal elections) and AS 15.15.350; we could not run a full-text search of the Alaska Statutes (the Legislature's search is a form), so a statute on local ranked-choice voting elsewhere in Title 29 or in a city charter could have been missed.
Arizona2 notes
- The 2026 statewide propositions in the official publicity pamphlet (Propositions 141, 142, 144 and 316-320, hosted by the Clean Elections Commission) include none on ranked-choice voting, primaries, redistricting, voter registration or legislative term limits, so pending is empty.
- The local ranked-choice value is based on section headings in the Legislature's tables of contents for Titles 9 and 16, not a full-text search; a provision inside a section, or a city charter, could have been missed.
Arkansas1 note
- The Secretary of State's military and overseas voting page that explains the special runoff ballot still shows 2020 dates; the rule itself is confirmed by Ark. Code § 7-5-406(c) in the 2025 compilation.
California1 note
- None of the November 3, 2026 statewide propositions (1-5 and 37-45) concerns ranked-choice voting, primaries, redistricting, voter registration or legislative term limits, based on the measure titles on the Secretary of State's qualified-measures list, so pending is empty.
Colorado2 notes
- We were pointed to a 2025 Colorado law on ranked choice voting. The only 2025 change we found in the ranked voting part of the code is SB 25-275, which moved its definitions into a new section (§ 1-7-1001.3). We found no law that puts ranked voting into use for state or federal offices.
- We did not build a complete list of Colorado towns that use ranked voting; only Boulder and Fort Collins were confirmed from official local pages.
Georgia2 notes
- The ranked ballot rule for military and overseas voters and the majority and runoff rule come from the 2021 law as passed (SB 202). We could not check the current Code for later changes; a secondary source we used only as a pointer still lists Georgia as using ranked ballots for military and overseas voters.
- Local ranked-choice status is left blank. The only Georgia election law we could read is SB 202 as passed in 2021, which keeps the majority-and-runoff rule (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-501(a)(1)) and does not mention local ranked-choice voting; the current Code is vendor-hosted behind a terms click-through and the Secretary of State's site was blocked, so we could not check whether a later law allows or bans it. Bill trackers, used only as pointers, report that a bill to ban ranked-choice voting except for military and overseas voters (SB 175, 2025-2026) passed the Senate in March 2025 and lost on the House floor on March 31, 2026; the General Assembly shows bill status only through a script-driven site, so we could not confirm this from an official source.
Hawaii1 note
- We could not confirm from an official page when HRS § 11-100 took effect, and we found no official record that any special federal election or county council vacancy election has yet been held with ranked ballots, so local use is marked permitted rather than used.
Illinois1 note
- We found no official page confirming that any Illinois municipality uses ranked-choice voting. The City of Evanston's clerk page for its April 6, 2027 consolidated election describes a February 23, 2027 consolidated primary for a special mayoral race and does not mention ranked ballots; we could not run a web search to look further, so local use is marked permitted under § 16-5.01(c) rather than used.
Maine1 note
- Local ranked-choice voting is marked permitted because state law lets a town meeting or a city charter choose a method other than plurality (30-A M.R.S. §§ 2528(10), 2555). Portland is widely reported to use ranked-choice voting for city offices, which would make the value used, but its official pages load their content by script and we could not confirm it. (Corrected from not-addressed after an independent verifier's check.)
Massachusetts1 note
- Easthampton's ranked-choice charter change required approval by city voters. We did not find an official city page confirming that approval or its use, so Easthampton is described as authorized, not as confirmed in use.
Michigan1 note
- Several Michigan cities have reportedly adopted charter language for ranked-choice voting that depends on a change in state law. We did not check their official pages, and we found no official source showing any Michigan locality using ranked ballots.
Minnesota2 notes
- The Secretary of State's website (www.sos.mn.gov) answered with a CAPTCHA page, so we did not use it. We could not read its explainers on ranked-choice voting, redistricting or automatic registration.
- We confirmed local ranked-choice voting only for Minneapolis from an official page. Other Minnesota cities, such as St. Paul, are reported to use it; we did not reach their official pages.
Mississippi1 note
- We did not find the statute that creates the ranked runoff ballot for military and overseas voters; the description comes from the Secretary of State's County Election Handbook.
Montana1 note
- We could not check the Secretary of State's 2026 ballot measure list (site blocked). Secondary sources list no November 3 measure on ranked-choice voting, primaries, redistricting, registration or legislative term limits, but this was not confirmed from an official list.
Nebraska1 note
- For local ranked-choice voting we checked only the Election Act (Chapter 32): its full section index and the text of its ballot, counting and canvass sections. We did not check city charters or the city government chapters, and a web search to confirm there is no ban elsewhere could not be run (search limit reached).
Nevada2 notes
- The Secretary of State's website (nvsos.gov) answered our request with a bot-check page on 2026-10-27, so we stopped using it. We could not read its 2024 statewide results for Ballot Question 3 (the top-five primary and ranked-choice general election amendment); we rely on the current constitution text, which contains no such provision.
- For local ranked-choice voting we searched NRS chapters 293 and 293C only, not city charters or county codes.
New Jersey1 note
- Ranked-choice values rest on the Legislature's plain-text statute download (pub.njleg.gov), which we searched in full, rather than its script-driven statute viewer, which we did not use. The download is updated through P.L.2026, c.50, so a law enacted after that would be missing.
New Mexico2 notes
- The City of Las Cruces elections pages (lascruces.gov) answered with a human-verification check, so we did not read the city's own description of its ranked-choice voting; Las Cruces's use rests on the Secretary of State's 2025 proclamation.
- The local ranked-choice list covers only cities on the November 2025 regular local election ballot; we did not check cities that elect officers in March of even-numbered years.
New York1 note
- The statute that sets how winners of state and federal races are chosen could not be read; the ranked-choice value rests on the New York City Board of Elections' list of offices that do not use ranked ballots.
North Dakota1 note
- We did not find which session law enacted the ranked-choice and approval voting ban (N.D.C.C. § 16.1-01-06.1); the Legislative Branch page for 2023 House Bill 1273, which had the same subject, shows its veto was sustained, so the ban's enactment date is not given here.
Oregon1 note
- The local ranked choice list covers only Portland, Multnomah County and Benton County, confirmed from their own election pages; other cities (for example Corvallis) were not checked.
Pennsylvania1 note
- We did not survey Pennsylvania counties or municipalities for local use of ranked choice voting; the not-addressed value rests on the Election Code alone.
South Carolina1 note
- We did not survey South Carolina cities or counties for local ranked choice voting; the not-addressed value rests on the state code.
Tennessee1 note
- We could not read a Tennessee Code section on how general election winners are chosen; the ranked choice value rests on the 2022 ban, which covers statewide and local government offices.
Texas1 note
- We did not find guidance from the Secretary of State or the Attorney General on whether a Texas city or other local government may use ranked choice voting, and we did not check whether any locality uses it; the not-addressed value rests only on the Election Code having no ranked choice provision.
Utah1 note
- We did not identify the bill, if any, that decided not to extend the municipal ranked choice pilot; the repeal date comes from the 2024 version of Utah Code § 63I-2-220.
Vermont1 note
- We did not check whether any Vermont town or city other than Burlington uses ranked choice voting.
Virginia2 notes
- The effective date of the 2026 ranked choice voting amendments is unclear: the Department of Elections' 2026 summary says January 1, 2027, while the enacted chapters (2026 Acts, cc. 993 and 1062) have no delayed-effective clause and the Legislative Information System already shows the amended § 24.2-673.1 as current text. Either way, counties and cities could use ranked choice voting under the 2020 law, so the local value does not depend on it.
- The Department of Elections' ranked choice voting page names Arlington County and the City of Charlottesville but is not dated; we did not find a Charlottesville city page confirming its use in a 2026 election.
Washington1 note
- The local ranked choice voting value rests on finding no RCV provision in the Secretary of State's 2026 Election Law Book. Charter cities and counties may act under home-rule powers, and Seattle has adopted RCV for 2027, so a reviewer may prefer permitted.
Wisconsin2 notes
- The Wisconsin Elections Commission site (elections.wi.gov) answered every request with a browser verification page, so we could not read its pages on registration, primaries, ranked choice voting or the 2026 ballot. We used the statutes as published by the Legislature on October 1, 2026 instead.
- The local ranked choice voting value rests on finding no statute on the subject; a reviewer may read the plurality rule in § 5.01(3) as ruling out local ranked choice voting.
Wyoming1 note
- The online statute text does not show when the ranked choice voting language in W.S. 22-2-117(a) was enacted; we could not confirm the year.