FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 14, 2024
Ocean State Ranked Choice Voting Hosts ‘Chocolate Election’ With State Lawmakers
Valentine’s Day event celebrates the introduction of ranked choice voting bills
PROVIDENCE, RI- Ocean State Ranked Choice Voting (OSRCV) is hosting a Chocolate Election in collaboration with state lawmakers Sen. Val Lawson (D-Dist. 14, East Providence) and Rep. Rebecca Kislak (D-Dist. 4, Providence). In honor of Valentine’s Day, voters were asked to use the ranked choice voting (RCV) system to select from five different brands of chocolate. Volunteers joined state legislators at the State House today, as voters sampled the sweets and cast their online ballots. It’s part of an effort to bolster public understanding of RCV, and celebrate the introduction of new legislation.
“As national momentum builds, and we see ranked choice voting successfully implemented around the country, we’re looking to educate Rhode Islanders through real-life implementation. On Valentine’s Day, chocolate is the best way to actualize this,” said Leah Creiglow of Ocean State Ranked Choice Voting. “By using ranked choice voting in a real way, voters are able to experience how this system promotes better choices, better campaigns, and better representation.”
The election features five different types of chocolate for voters to sample, including Hershey Zero Sugar, Lindt Oat Milk Salted Caramel, Twix, Mounds, and Dove Dark Chocolate. Voters will rank them in order of preference using an online ballot. Early voting began at 7:00 am this morning, with in-person polls open to the public from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm at the State House. Digital polls close at 3:00 pm tomorrow. At that time, the votes will be tallied nearly instantly using an online tool in up to four rounds, with the lowest-ranked chocolate in each round eliminated, until one chocolate has won with more than 50% of the vote. Results will be posted here.
On Monday, Sen. Val Lawson introduced a Ranked Choice Voting Bill to the Senate. Rep. Kislak introduced similar legislation to the House back on February 7. The proposals would institute RCV for presidential preference primaries, beginning with the 2028 Presidential Election.
RCV has become the fastest-growing nonpartisan election reform in the country. In 2023, RCV expanded to 50 jurisdictions. RCV makes presidential primaries fairer and more accessible, promotes nominees with broad support, and ensures every voter’s voice is heard. Presidential primaries and caucuses face unique challenges that RCV can address. Presidential primaries often draw a large number of candidates, sometimes 10 or more from a single party. In such crowded races, voters may decide to vote strategically to avoid “wasting” their vote on a candidate who has little chance of winning. Additionally, the field is in flux as candidates drop out, raising the chance that voters will cast a ballot for an inactive candidate.
RCV addresses these problems by giving voters the option to rank candidates in order of preference and, in so doing, improves presidential primaries.
About Ocean State Ranked Choice Voting
Founded in 2023, OSRCV is a nonpartisan group of Rhode Islanders from across the political spectrum working together to bring Ranked Choice Voting to Rhode Island. OSRCV advocates for voter choice and representation for all beliefs and identities through better elections. Learn more about OSRCV and how it works, here.
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Media Contact (for Ocean State RCV)
Chelsea DeCesare, Half Street Group
[email protected] | 401.286.9037