Here you will find important updates in the world of instant runoff voting and events to attend that help spread the word of IRV/RCV in SC.

New York City Results

Zorhan Mamdani leads the NYC Democratic primary. He led a truly grassroots campaign that spoke directly to New Yorkers. That is one of the benefits of instant runoff voting. It empowers candidates to reach the widest portion of their electorate and New York Democrats has their say.

Youth Vote

40% of early voters were under the age of 40. We're still waiting on more demographic figures, but turnout was higher than previous NYC primary elections.

It's well known that young voters distrust the system, so why did they turn out? Not only did they have a candidate speaking to their issues, but they could fully voice their opinion on the ballot! Young people are all about instant runoff voting because they want more choice and more voice.

Preliminary Results?

We have the preliminary results, but why only preliminary?

Due to New York voting laws, the election board must wait for more ballots to be returned. Once they have been, the instant runoff will commence and we'll know the details.

But voters were clear. Zohran Mamdani has a significant lead over Andrew Cuomo, so much so that Cuomo has conceded. It is not a majority though, so we anxiously await the instant runoff results. Did you know that 79% of jurisdictions release their IRV results within 24 hours?

More:

Statement on ranked choice voting in NYC primary: FairVote

New Yorkers were encouraged to try out IRV in a variety of ways. Try ice cream: CNN

Mamdani stuns Cuomo: 5 takeaways from the NYC mayoral primary: The Hill

Comparing the 2021 and 2025 NYC mayoral primary timelines: City & State

The story behind the IRV visualizations: Spectrum News

Great events to get plugged in!

IRV 101 + Trivia: July 10. Join us for a fun night of learning! Then test that knowledge (and more) with our IRV trivia. Join us virtually.

IRV Pitch Training: Thursdays at 8pm. Learn how to pitch Instant Runoff Voting when canvassing on the street or at an event from a Rank the Vote National Organizer! We'll talk about best practices, and have opportunities for you to practice in a friendly environment. All questions welcome.

Statewide Strategy Call: July 22, 6:30pm. Our monthly meeting are the 4th Tuesday of the month! Join us to recap the month and discuss the future, locally. Join us in Columbia, Charleston, or virtually. Everyone will meet on the call and have a quick recap of what the state of the movement in South Carolina is and then we'll break into local groups.

Quarterly Board Meeting: July 16, 5pm. Join us at our quarterly board meeting where we'll discuss regular business. If you would like to contribute or serve on the board, please email us at [email protected].

Letter to the Editor Training: every 1st Monday of the month, 8pm. Join other IRV enthusiasts in crafting letters for your local newsletters. Best practices and strategies will be discussed. All questions answered. By dedicating focused time to writing LTEs on a regular basis, you can help boost the IRV signal in your community and across the country.

(https://fairvote.org/our-reforms/thechoicemovie/)

A new film, The Choice, follows two candidates who ran for Portland City Council in 2024 and shows how ranked choice voting impacted their campaigns.

Charlottesville

Charlottesville used the multiwinner form of instant runoff voting (aka single transferable vote) for the first time! It delivered on promises to increase representation and voter satisfaction. Unfortunately, not all Virginia elections used instant runoff voting. Read

Read more:

A deep dive on Charlottesville Ballot Data: FairVote

Virginia elections show value of instant runoff voting: FairVote

RCV advocates say Charlottesville's first ranked choice election delivers on promises of diverse representation: Independent Voter News

H.3589 Municipal Option Bill

This bill will give municipalities the option of using instant runoff voting in elections. Last session we got a hearing, this year we want to go even further, but we need your help.

We are looking for:

Cosponsors

We are actively looking for cosponsors for this municipal option bill. The best way to do this is to sit down with legislatures and have a conversation with them about the benefits of IRV. We know that talking to our legislators can be intimidating. If you would like to meet with your elected officials or have any questions, please contact us at [email protected]. We can provide support and guidance.

Postcards

We'll be hand delivering postcards from constituents. Do you want your legislator to know you support IRV or have a group of friends who would like to submit them? Great! Let us know and we'll send them to you.

Municipal Resolutions

Municipalities are directly impacted by our bill, which would give towns and cities the option of using instant runoff voting. We want to show the legislature that this is something that they want. Municipalities can do this by passing resolutions in support of IRV. To learn how, please fill out this interest form.

Speaking Opportunities

When people hear about instant runoff voting, they like it. If you are a part of a group that hosts speakers, please consider a Better Ballot SC speaker. We'd love to spread the word among your network.

Are you looking for a flyer to hang up at your local community board? Or maybe something to handout to people? Check out our Printables!

We have an easy way to get involved! Sign our petition! Show your support of instant runoff voting by signing and sharing. Remember to share it to your social media!

If you like what you've read here and would like us to continue our efforts, please donate. We're building momentum here in South Carolina. Help us continue to educate our fellow South Carolinians. Consider making a monthly contribution. It helps us to better strategize our long term goals.

Thank you for reading,

Nicole Sanchez,

President, Better Ballot SC