Ranked ChoiCe Voting
If you live in New York City (NYC), including in Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Staten Island, you will see a change in the way you vote beginning in 2021. For some contests, voters will now be able to rank the candidates of their choice instead of voting for just one candidate. This is a new process that can be confusing. The information in this guide will help you understand it better.
What is Ranked ChoiCe Voting?
Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) gives voters the option to choose more than one candidate in a contest by ranking them by order of preference instead of just voting for one person. Voters can choose up to five candidates, and rank them by preference.
NYC voters can only rank candidates in Primary or Special Elections for these local contests: Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller, Borough President, and City Council. You cannot rank candidates when you vote in the Primary Elections contests for Judges and District Attorney.
Is Ranked ChoICe VotIng aVaIlable FoR all new YoRk VoteRs?
Under the new system, only voters in New York City (Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Staten Island) will vote by ranking their choices on their ballots. This is not for all NYC elections. It is only for Primaries and Special Elections for some local contests, and not for General Elections.
Important Voting Words to Know:
Candidate- the person running for the elected job (i.e. Mayoral Candidate)
Contest- the race candidates are running for, and the issues or questions on the ballot to vote on. For example, the voting for Mayor is considered the “Mayoral Contest.”
Ballot- the piece of paper that you use to mark who you are voting for.
Affidavit Ballot- a ballot used by a person who may not be allowed to vote. An affidavit ballot must be reviewed by the Board of Elections before it is counted.
Election- the process when people vote to choose a person or group of people to hold an official position, like the City Mayor or United States President.
What Will My Ballot look like if
i aM Voting in nyC?
Your ballot may look a little different this year if you are voting in a Primary or Special Election in NYC. You can find a sample ballot for your upcoming election day at this website: https://findmypollsite.vote.nyc/. The sample ballot will show what your ballot will look like when you vote on Election Day or during early voting.
Here is an example of a Ranked Choice Vote Contest:
CONTEST
Primary Election for the Republican Candidate for NYC Mayor
You may select as many or as few candidates as there are available ranked choices, but do not select the same candidate more than once. This is called “duplicated ranking” a candidate. Ranking a different candidate as your second-choice candidate, third choice candidate, and so on will not hurt your first-choice candidate.
Do not select more than one candidate as your first choice. This is called “over-voting.” If you over-vote in a contest, your vote will not count. It is important to only choose one candidate for each ranking.
If you have any questions please contact the Board of Elections in the City of New York.
hoW Many Candidates Can i Rank in eaCh Contest?
Under the new system, voters can rank up to five candidates in each contest. For example, if there are seven candidates running for NYC Mayor, you rank your top five candidates. You can rank fewer than five candidates. You should not rank the same candidate more than one time, this is called “duplicated ranking”.
Can i WRite in a Candidate When i Rank Candidates foR a Contest?
Yes, you can write in a candidate to include in your ranked choices for a contest. There will be a blank space in each contest where you can write-in a name of the person you want to vote for in the contest.
Can i Use a Ballot MaRking deViCe to Rank My ChoiCes?
Yes, you can rank your choices using the Ballot Marking Device at your polling location.
Can i Rank My ChoiCes if i Vote By aBsentee Ballot oR aCCessiBle aBsentee Ballot?
Yes, an Absentee Ballot looks the same as a paper ballot you would fill out at your polling location. All Ranked Choice contests will be on the same side of the ballot.
On an Accessible Absentee Ballot, the Ranked Choice Voting contests will look a little different, but the program will give you instructions as you go. Your marked ballot will look the same as a paper ballot once you finish filling it out on your computer device.
hoW is My Ranked Vote CoUnted?
Votes from RCV are counted different from contests where voters vote for a single candidate. For information about how your vote will be counted, check out https:// www.nycvotes.org/how-to-vote/ranked-choice-voting/howvotes-are-counted/#/ for help.
hoW Can i get help if i don’t UndeRstand hoW to Vote With the Rank ChoiCe Voting Ballot?
The NYC Campaign Finance Board has a lot of useful information on their website about Ranked Choice Voting: https://www.nyccfb.info/pdf/guidance/ Candidate_RCV_Guidance.pdf.
Rank the Vote is an organization providing frequent trainings about Ranked Choice Voting: www.rankthevote.org
If you are at the polling location and need help, you can ask poll workers for help if you do not understand how to fill out your ballot.
What if i Make a Mistake on My Ballot and need a neW one?
It is important to practice marking a sample ballot before you go to your polling location on Election Day or during early voting. As elections get closer, the NYC Board of Elections can provide you a sample PDF ballot here: https://vote.nyc/page/ understanding-ballot.
If you make a mistake on your ballot when at your polling location, you can ask for a replacement ballot. Poll workers can help you get a new blank ballot that will replace your ballot with the mistake.
If you make a mistake on three replacement ballots, you can only vote by affidavit ballot. You cannot scan an affidavit ballot in the scanner at the polling location.
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