What do proponents of ranked-choice voting argue?

Proponents of ranked-choice voting argue that it tends to reflect the true majority of voters. This voting system allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference rather than selecting just one. As a result, if no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and those votes are redistributed to the remaining candidates based on voters' next preferences. This process continues until a candidate achieves a majority, ensuring that the winning candidate has broader support across the electorate.

This approach addresses the limitations of traditional voting systems, where a candidate can win with only a plurality of votes and may not represent the majority's preferences. By allowing voters to express their preferences more fully, ranked-choice voting helps ensure that elected officials are more representative of the overall electorate. This can lead to more consensus-driven candidates being elected, as they need to appeal to a wider range of voters to secure a majority.