State-Wide Poll Shows Nevada Voters Want a Better System and Ranked Choice Voting

By Doug Goodman -Founder & Executive Director Nevadans for Election Reform and Scott Siebel and Katie Dahl – FairVote

The time is ripe for political reform in Nevada, with voters eager for more fair and democratic elections.

According to a recent statewide poll sponsored by Nevadans for Election Reform and FairVote, issue-focused elections, higher voter turnout and majority winners topped the list of reforms for Nevada voters. Voters also believe the ability to rank candidates; 1^st choice, 2^nd choice, 3^rd choice, is a good idea.

Highlights from the poll include:

• 94 percent of survey takers said replacing negative attacks with issue-focused campaigning was “somewhat” or “very” important, including majorities from both Republican and Democratic voters;
• 80 percent said increasing voter turnout was “very” or “somewhat” important;
• 79 percent said majority winners (candidates earning over 50 percent of votes) were “very” or “somewhat” important; and
• 58 percent said they were “very” or “somewhat” likely to support a reform that would end the “lesser of two evils” dynamic at play in single-choice voting systems.
• 56 percent said ranked choice voting is a “very good” or “somewhat good” system.

All of these values are linked to a ranked choice voting system, suggesting that with increased public awareness – as well as increasing use in cities and as of Nov. 6, 2018, the entire state of Maine – an overwhelming majority of voters will recognize ranked ballots as the best way to see their values realized in elections.

Nevadans for Election Reform will continue our on-the-ground efforts to educate voters and collaborating with our national partners at FairVote to bring Nevada to the forefront of fair and democratic elections.