Nov/Dec Statewide Strategy Meeting - Better Ballot SC

Posted on Events by · October 28, 2025 7:00 PM

Are you interested in becoming a part of the voting reform effort in South Carolina? Let's expand instant runoff voting (also known as ranked choice voting) in South Carolina and give voters More Choice and More Voice.

We've been working to educate voters about this common sense upgrade to the way that we currently vote. Join us to Better the South Carolina Ballot by RSVPing for our monthly statewide strategy call.

We're hybrid! Location: Over the Horizon Brewery, 2200 Heriot St, Charleston, SC 29403. Prepare for a fun, informative time. We will begin the meeting virtually with a statewide recap and then break into local groups. Please arrive 15 minutes early to situate yourself and to chat with fellow supporters. Can't make it in person? That's alright too. You can join your local group virtually!

If you are attending in person, we will be holding a canned food collection drive. Help us fill Blessing boxes in the Charleston Area.

Curious how it works? It's as easy as 1, 2, 3! Join the call and we can go more in depth, but here are the basics:

When voters go to the polls, instead of voting for one, they rank their candidates. This gives voters More Voice and More Choice. If a voter's top choice has no path to victory, their vote is transferred to their second choice. This ensures majority support while eliminating costly runoffs. It also has some other great benefits:

Reduces polarization and mudslinging
Eliminates the spoiler effect and vote splitting
Increases representation

Visit our Why IRV? page to learn more. Or come to the meeting!

WHEN

December 02, 2025 at 6:30pm

WHERE

Melissa's House
(RSVP for exact location)
North Charleston, SC
United States
Google map and directions

rsvp

Nov/Dec Statewide Strategy Meeting - Better Ballot SC

Posted on Events by · October 28, 2025 7:00 PM

Are you interested in becoming a part of the voting reform effort in South Carolina? Let's expand instant runoff voting (also known as ranked choice voting) in South Carolina and give voters More Choice and More Voice.

We've been working to educate voters about this common sense upgrade to the way that we currently vote. Join us to Better the South Carolina Ballot by RSVPing for our monthly statewide strategy meeting.

Not in Columbia or Charleston or unable to attend in person? No worries! The more the merrier. After our statewide update, we'll break into smaller groups based on region and we'd love your input, from whatever corner of SC you're in!

Curious how it works? It's as easy as 1, 2, 3! Join the call and we can go more in depth, but here are the basics:

When voters go to the polls, instead of voting for one, they rank their candidates. This gives voters More Voice and More Choice. If a voter's top choice has no path to victory, their vote is transferred to their second choice. This ensures majority support while eliminating costly runoffs. It also has some other great benefits:

Reduces polarization and mudslinging
Eliminates the spoiler effect and vote splitting
Increases representation

Visit our Why IRV? page to learn more. Or come to the meeting!

WHEN

December 02, 2025 at 6:30pm

WHERE

via Zoom

rsvp

Nov/Dec Statewide Strategy Meeting: Columbia - Better Ballot SC

Posted on Events by · October 28, 2025 7:00 PM

Are you interested in becoming a part of the voting reform effort in South Carolina? Let's expand instant runoff voting (also known as ranked choice voting) in South Carolina and give voters More Choice and More Voice.

We've been working to educate voters about this common sense upgrade to the way that we currently vote. Join us to Better the South Carolina Ballot by RSVPing for our monthly statewide strategy meeting.

We're hybrid! Columbia's meeting will be located at Bierkeller Brewing Company (600 Canalside St Suite 1009, Columbia, SC 29201). Prepare for a fun, informative time. We will begin the meeting virtually with a statewide recap and then break into local groups. Please arrive 15 minutes early to situate yourself and to chat with fellow supporters. Can't make it in person? That's alright too. You can join your local group virtually!

If you are attending in person, we will be holding a food drive. Please bring canned or other dried goods to donate to Food Not Bombs. They prefer canned vegetables.

Curious how it works? It's as easy as 1, 2, 3! Join the call and we can go more in depth, but here are the basics:

When voters go to the polls, instead of voting for one, they rank their candidates. This gives voters More Voice and More Choice. If a voter's top choice has no path to victory, their vote is transferred to their second choice. This ensures majority support while eliminating costly runoffs. It also has some other great benefits:

Reduces polarization and mudslinging
Eliminates the spoiler effect and vote splitting
Increases representation

Visit our Why IRV? page to learn more. Or come to the meeting!

WHEN

December 02, 2025 at 6:30pm

WHERE

Bierkeller Brewing Company
600 Canalside St
Columbia, SC 29201
United States
Google map and directions

rsvp

IRV/RCV Polls

Posted by · July 30, 2025 4:58 PM · 1 reaction

The best way to learn is by doing and here is a great way to see just how easy it is to vote using instant runoff voting.

Check out our Spooky Activity Preference Poll.

SPLIT

Curious to see how instant runoff voting works with political candidates? Check out some of the results from our 2024 Presidential Primary Polls

To learn more about this great electoral reform, visit our Why IRV page

Legislative Action

Posted by · January 15, 2025 6:26 PM · 1 reaction

H.3589

Send your legislators a message:

Messages to South Carolina Legislators now need to be directed through the message center on each legislator's Statehouse page. For a detailed walk through of the steps below, please click here.

Step 1: Determine who your legislators are and click the send them a message button on their individual legislator pages. We request that you contact your State Representative and State Senator with slightly different asks referenced below.

Step 2: Use the sample language below to ask your representatives to co-sponsor H.3589. We encourage you to include any personal stories that involve instant runoff voting such as; having trouble voting in a runoff; using an instant runoff ballot through the SC's UOCAVA voter program; or using instant runoff voting in another state.

State Representative:

"

Thank you for taking the time to review my request today. I am one of your constituents and a part of a coalition of organizations representing thousands of South Carolinians.

Runoff elections are costly and under-attended. A bipartisan bill, H.3589, was reintroduced into the House that would give the option to municipalities to implement a better process to run their elections. Instant runoff voting would streamline the runoff system, and it’s already how our uniformed and overseas South Carolinians can vote (Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voters Act). I am requesting that you cosponsor this new bill by contacting either Representatives Neal Collins or Jermaine Johnson.

Not only would results be determined sooner, but it would improve our elections. It would protect against vote splitting by allowing voters to support all candidates who align with their views.

It would also allow parties to build their bench without fear of splitting the vote. It would minimize strategic voting and allow voters to express their will without compromising their values.

It would also curb negative campaigning, allowing legislators/candidates to focus on their policies rather than on defense. This would help grow your base by bringing more people together over the issues.

It would also give winners a more secure mandate to govern since majority support is determined from a larger pool of voters than a traditional runoff. When more voters are satisfied with the winner, there’s more confidence in elections.

For all of the above reasons and more, please cosponsor the Instant Runoff Voting Option for municipalities.

Thank you again for your time.

"

State Senator:

"

Thank you for taking the time to review my request today. I am one of your constituents and a part of a coalition of organizations representing thousands of South Carolinians.

Runoff elections are costly and under-attended. A bipartisan bill, H.3589, was reintroduced into the House that would give the option to municipalities to implement a better process to run their elections. Instant runoff voting would streamline the runoff system, and it’s already how our uniformed and overseas South Carolinians can vote (Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voters Act). I am requesting that you introduce a companion bill by contacting either Representatives Neal Collins or Jermaine Johnson.

Not only would results be determined sooner, but it would improve our elections. It would protect against vote splitting by allowing voters to support all candidates who align with their views.

It would also allow parties to build their bench without fear of splitting the vote. It would minimize strategic voting and allow voters to express their will without compromising their values.

It would also curb negative campaigning, allowing legislators/candidates to focus on their policies rather than on defense. This would help grow your base by bringing more people together over the issues.

It would also give winners a more secure mandate to govern since majority support is determined from a larger pool of voters than a traditional runoff. When more voters are satisfied with the winner, there’s more confidence in elections.

For all of the above reasons and more, please introduce a companion bill for Instant Runoff Voting Option for municipalities.

Thank you again for your time.

"

If your representative is Dr. Jermaine Johnson, we encourage you to contact him anyway and thank them.

Interested in calling instead?

Click here to find out who your legislators are and for contact information.

If you would like to call, here is a sample message:

SC House of Representatives

"

My name is _____. I am a constituent and I would like you to cosponsor H.3589. I am a part of a coalition of organizations representing thousands of South Carolinians. Giving municipalities the option to use instant runoff voting in their elections will benefit both the voters and the government. It will save time and money. It minimizes strategic voting and allows voters to express their will without compromising their values. It also protects against vote splitting by allowing voters to support all candidates who align with their views, and because of that, allows parties to build their bench. Additionally, it discourages negative campaigning, allowing candidates to focus on policy and not defense. Finally, it’s how our overseas absentee voters can vote. All South Carolinians should have this option for their municipalities.

For all of these reasons and more, please cosponsor H.3589.

"

SC Senate

"

My name is _____. I am a constituent and and I would like you to introduce a companion bill to H.3589. I am a part of a coalition of organizations representing thousands of South Carolinians. Giving municipalities the option to use instant runoff voting in their elections will benefit both the voters and the government. It will save time and money. It minimizes strategic voting and allows voters to express their will without compromising their values. It also protects against vote splitting by allowing voters to support all candidates who align with their views, and because of that, allows parties to build their bench. Additionally, it discourages negative campaigning, allowing candidates to focus on policy and not defense. Finally, it’s how our overseas absentee voters can vote. All South Carolinians should have this option for their municipalities.

For all of these reasons and more, please cosponsor H.3589.

"

If you would like to set up a meeting with your representative, we would be happy to help you. Email us at [email protected]

Community Support

Posted on About by · June 15, 2023 6:46 PM · 1 reaction

Click the links below to see the many letters to the editor and opinion pieces that IRV supporters have had published in local newspapers

Opinion: The Post and Courier

May 30, 2025, "Editorial: North Charleston elections should usher in further changes" https://www.postandcourier.com/opinion/editorials/north-charleston-city-council-elections/article_d29934f8-1ea7-4ab7-9697-68a4f77a4f4b.html

Letters: The Post and Courier

January 28, 2024, "Improve SC Politics" https://www.postandcourier.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/opinions-letters-improve-politics-state-bad-planning/article_21fe1128-d44f-11ef-b290-7343359ca498.html

Opinion: The Daniel Island News

August 7, 2024, "Instant Runoff Voting Can Change Elections for the Better" https://www.thedanielislandnews.com/opinions/instant-runoff-voting-can-change-elections-better

Commentary: The Post and Courier

July 18, 2024, "Ranked-choice voting, open primaries can help bring civility back to politics" https://www.postandcourier.com/opinion/commentary/ranked-choice-voting-open-primaries-divisive-political-rhetoric/article_c9ef90dc-43ae-11ef-8be0-ffe9cd6dbf97.html