The never-ending push for RCV in Boston
by Harry Roth
After multiple failures, some progressive groups are once again pushing for ranked-choice voting in the City of Boston. This follows their unsuccessful attempt to implement RCV via a ballot initiative in the summer of 2023. Clearly, RCV advocates are addicted to losing.
The first real attempt to implement ranked-choice voting in Massachusetts came in the form of a ballot initiative in 2020. Over ten million dollars was spent in support of the initiative, with much of it coming from progressive groups like Unite America and the Action Now Initiative. After facing stiff opposition from Governor Charlie Baker and much of the public, the measure lost.
The next initiative came in 2023 and was endorsed by teachers unions and far-left organizations in the state. Ultimately, the initiative was rejected by the state attorney general on constitutional grounds.
If anything, this whole ordeal should shine a light on the big money behind ranked-choice voting initiatives. If advocates can afford to blow money on hopeless endeavors, imagine the amount of money they're putting behind initiatives in places like Idaho and Colorado where they actually have a chance to succeed.
Ranked-choice voting is sold as an innovative election scheme that will increase voter engagement. That all sounds very enticing to city officials who often represent areas with low voter turnout. But in the end, ranked-choice voting fails to deliver on its promises, resulting in