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Frequently asked questions about ranked-choice voting in Portland.
How many candidates can I rank on my ballot?
Ballots will have space for voters to rank up to six candidates, including any write-in candidate(s).
Is there a limit to the number of candidates appearing on the ballot?
No. There is no limit to the number of qualifying candidates appearing on the ballot under each position. However, voters will be limited to ranking up to six total candidates, including any write-in candidate(s). For example, if 10 candidates are listed for a position, a voter would be able to choose their top six candidates and rank those candidates by preference. The remaining four candidates would be unable to be ranked by the voter.
Do I have to rank candidates that I don’t like?
You do not have to rank candidates that you do not support. Ranking up to 6 different choices for each contest is optional. You should not vote for a candidate that you do not support electing to office.
If I rank other candidates, does it affect my first choice?
Ranking multiple candidates does not affect the chances of your 1st choice. Your 2nd, 3rd, and so on choices are only counted if your 1st choice candidate is eliminated from the contest or wins. Ranking multiple candidates allows voters to still have a choice in who gets elected, even if their top choice does not win.
Should I rank the same candidate multiple times if I really want them to win?
Fill in no more than one oval in each candidate’s row on your ballot. If you rank a single candidate multiple times – for instance for rank 1, 2, and 3 – this does not help them.
What happens if I skipped one or more rankings on my ballot?
When filling out your ballot, if you skip any ranking, your next highest ranking will be elevated to take its place in the counting process. In this example, if you rank Candidate A as your first choice, Candidate C as your third choice, Candidate B as your sixth choice, and then skip all other rankings, Candidate C will be counted as your second choice and Candidate B will be counted as your third choice.
Here's an example of what that might look like:
What happens if I rank multiple candidates in a single ranking?
If you choose multiple candidates in the same ranking—for example, rank two candidates as your first choice—this is called an overvote. Your overvote is ignored and your next highest ranking is elevated to take the place of the overvote. In this example, if you rank Candidates A, B, G and H all as your first choice, the votes for candidates A, B, G and H become invalid and Candidate C is elevated to your first choice.
Here's an example of what that might look like:
What happens if I rank the same candidate in multiple rankings?
If you rank a single candidate multiple times, the highest ranking is accepted and each lower ranking for the same candidate is ignored as if you had skipped that ranking. In this example, if you rank Candidate A as your first, second, and third choices, and then rank Candidate F as your fourth choice, Candidate F is elevated to the position of your second choice.
Here's an example of what that might look like:
What do I do if I make a mistake on my ballot?
- If you make a mistake on your ballot, you can correct it. See the examples below for how to correct your ballot if you fill in more than one oval in a column or a row.
- It is critical that you make your choice obvious because election workers will inspect each ballot to make sure voter intent is understood and the ballot is counted correctly.
- If your ballot has been destroyed or has an error that cannot be corrected, you can order a replacement ballot. Please note: You cannot change your vote or order a replacement ballot once you've mailed or dropped off your ballot.
Tabulation
How are the thresholds calculated?
The threshold is calculated based on the number of seats up for election. 1 seat results in a threshold of 50% plus 1 vote as in the mayor and auditor races. 3 seats results in a threshold of 25% plus 1 vote as in the city council races. In both cases this threshold is set so that once the appropriate number of seats are elected it is mathematically impossible to elect any other candidates.
Read the City of Portland code that details the threshold calculation.
In a multi-winner election, how are surplus votes transferred?
If a city council candidate receives votes beyond the threshold they will win one of the three seats. At this point, a fraction of every single ballot that voted in that round will be shifted to the next ranking on that specific ballot. If you ranked the winning candidate in this round, a fraction of your vote will stay with that candidate and the remaining vote will transfer to the candidate you ranked next. This fraction is determined by averaging the surplus out across the total votes that elected that candidate. For example, if 1000 ballots voted for that candidate in this round but only 500 votes were needed to be elected, half of your vote would shift. Note: that surplus votes only ever shift to the next candidate that is ranked on your ballot. Your vote will never go toward electing a candidate that you did not rank.
The details of election thresholds and surplus fraction can be found in the Election Code: 2.08.030 Ranked Choice Voting.
In a multi-winner election, surplus votes are transferred over. Will my vote be counted as a fraction?
In a multi-winner election, if a fraction of your vote is transferred to another candidate due to an elected candidates’ surplus, that fraction will be added to other votes for the new candidate.
For example, if a candidate receives more than the number of votes they need to be elected, their extra votes will be divided among their voters' next ranked choices. If a candidate receives 10% more votes than they need, each voter who picked them as their first choice will have 10% of their vote go to their next choice. However, 90% of voters’ votes will remain with their first choice.