What is ranked choice voting?
In a ranked choice voting system, voters have the option to rank candidates in order of preference instead of selecting only one candidate.
To find out who wins, votes are counted in a series of rounds. In each round, one of two things happens: either a winning candidate is identified and elected, or the candidate in last place is eliminated and voters who ranked that candidate as their first choice will have their votes counted for their next choice.
Ranked choice voting results in one general election, eliminating primary and special elections.
Watch a video that explains ranked-choice voting
Changes coming to the Nov. 5, 2024 Election
On Nov. 5, 2024, the City of Portland’s mayor and auditor will be elected in citywide contests using single-winner ranked-choice voting, while 12 Council members (three per district) will be elected using multi-winner ranked-choice voting.
However, the voting experience won't change much. Portlanders will have a choice for three contests: mayor, auditor, and city councilors from each district. The ballot will show each eligible office with corresponding candidates next to it and space for write-in options.
Portland voters will then make up to six selections for each of the three contests, ranking their choices in order of preference.
Practice ranking your vote, Portland
We all do some sort of ranked-choice voting in our daily lives. Participate in this mock election to be ready for election day on Nov. 5, 2024.
This week we're partnering with Urban Forestry's Yard Tree Giveaway program. Their 2024 interest form is currently open, and you can view the tree species available for this year on their website: Portland.Gov/Trees.
Don't miss out — program registration opens in September but in the meantime, you can rank your favorite tree species available this year.
Taking the mock election on your phone? Use this link for a better experience!
Special Event: Join us for a Presentation on Ranked-Choice Voting
We're also promoting a mock election to decide which ice cream flavors you want to see at our in-person voter education town halls coming up this fall. Find our voter education town hall on our events page and make sure to register!
Register for Ranked-Choice Voting and Voter Education Town Hall on Oct. 10
Taking the mock election on your phone? Use this link for a better experience!
Single-winner ranked-choice voting will be used to elect the mayor and auditor
Once a candidate receives more than half of the votes in a given round, that candidate is declared the winner.
If no winner is determined in a round, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and any votes for that candidate are shifted to those voters' next choice.
A new round begins, and this continues until a winner is declared.
Multi-winner ranked-choice voting will be used to elect district council members
Any candidate receiving more than 25% of the votes in a round is declared a winner.
If any candidate has received more votes than required to win, their extra votes are shifted to those voters’ next choice.
If no winner is determined in a round, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and any votes for that candidate are shifted to those voters’ next choice.
A new round begins, and this continues until three candidates have received more than 25% of the vote. The winners are declared.