by Shannon Grimes, Sightline Institute
Washington’s HB 2210 would establish standards for towns and counties opting into this elections upgrade.
The Washington Protect Our VOICES (Voting Options, Implementation, Compliance, Education, and Standards Act) Act would clarify the rules and create guidelines for local governments looking to implement ranked choice voting, providing consistent standards for voters and election administrators across the state.
Ranked choice voting — where voters can rank candidates in order of preference — allows voters to elect leaders who have support from the true majority. Ranked choice voting avoids distortions from “spoiler” candidates, discourages smear campaigns, and has been shown to elect leaders who are more representative of their communities.
As Washington cities and counties move ahead to improve their elections, state legislators can support local jurisdictions with streamlined implementation guidelines and baseline legal requirements to coordinate rollout.
- In June 2023, a Washington state Supreme Court case explicitly named ranked choice voting as a legal remedy for voting rights violations. Charter counties and charter cities can switch to the voting method any time they like.
- Clear legislative guidance is necessary and gaining urgency as Seattle prepares to begin using ranked choice voting in 2027 local elections, paving the way for other jurisdictions.
- Statewide legislation could help clarify standards for local governments and smooth the path for county auditors and administrators who might have to manage conflicting rules, ballot design, and reporting requirements across cities, ports, and school districts.
- The bill is supported by the Washington Voting Justice Coalition.
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Shannon Grimes is a director of Sightline Institute’s Democracy + Elections program, where she focuses on electoral reforms in Washington and Oregon. Contact: Shannon Grimes, Sightline Institute, shannon@sightline.org.
Sightline Institute is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank providing leading original analysis of democracy, energy, and housing policy in the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, British Columbia, and beyond.
