SOMERSET, NJ — Assemblyman Joe Danielsen announced Friday that he has partnered with Sen. Andrew Zwicker to introduce legislation that would establish ranked-choice voting (RCV) for primary and general elections across New Jersey.

Danielsen said the proposal comes at a time when elections in the state are becoming increasingly competitive, with more candidates entering races and splitting the vote. Under the current system, he noted, it is increasingly possible for candidates to win elected office with less than a majority of votes cast.

Ranked-choice voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference rather than selecting just one. If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of first-choice votes, the lowest-performing candidates are eliminated in rounds, with votes redistributed based on voter rankings until a candidate surpasses the majority threshold.

Danielsen pointed to recent use of RCV in high-profile jurisdictions as an example of how the system can offer voters “more choice” and reduce concerns about “wasted votes.” He said the reform gives residents confidence that even if their top choice is eliminated early, their subsequent preferences can still influence the final result.

“As New Jersey moves into a new, more competitive era in its politics, we must reform our electoral system to fit these new times and ensure that voters can truly make their voice heard,” Danielsen wrote in the announcement.

He added that candidates should need more than “a bare plurality” to represent their communities.

But critics caution that ranked-choice voting is not without drawbacks.

A statewide Fairleigh Dickinson University poll found that New Jersey voters oppose changing the state’s voting system by a small margin, with 42 percent opposing RCV and 37 percent supporting it. Respondents who opposed the change said the system may be too complicated for voters and could discourage participation.

While several municipalities have passed resolutions supporting RCV, no major New Jersey elected officials have publicly taken a position against it in the past year.

Danielsen said he plans to advocate strongly for the measure, calling the reform an important step to strengthen voter confidence and improve the state’s democratic processes. More information about the bill is expected as it moves through the legislative process.

Link to article