"Ranked Choice Voting: The Future of Election Reform in the US?"
Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) combined with a Final Four/Five primary system is gaining traction in several U.S. states as a means to combat political extremism and polarization. This system allows voters to rank candidates by preference and advances multiple candidates to the general election, regardless of party affiliation. Proponents argue that this encourages moderation and problem-solving among politicians. Alaska's recent experience with RCV-plus-Final-Four has shown promising results, with increased collaboration and representation. However, there is opposition from some Republican-led states and conservative groups, who argue that RCV could confuse voters and is a strategy to shift politics to the left. Despite this, there is growing interest in the reform, even among some Republicans, as a way to field more electable candidates and appeal to a broader electorate.