Queens lawmakers rally for ranked-choice voting

Assemblymembers Catalina Cruz and Ron Kim rally in support of ranked choice voting. Photo courtesy of Common Cause New York.

By Jonathan Sperling

Two Queens lawmakers championed ranked-choice voting at a rally Tuesday, as New Yorkers head to the polls to vote on this election reform measure during the ongoing early voting period and the Nov. 5 general election.

Assemblymembers Catalina Cruz and Ron Kim, who together represent a large swath of central and eastern Queens, stood with community group Minkwon to urge voters to support ranked-choice voting, which appears as the first of five questions on the general election ballot.

Ranked-choice voting allows voters to rank their top five candidates in local New York City primary and special elections. A candidate who collects a majority of the vote — 50 percent plus one vote— wins. If no candidates win an outright majority, then the last place candidate will be eliminated and the votes for that candidate are redistributed based on who voters ranked  as their second choice.

This process is repeated until there is a majority winner.

Both Cruz and Kim say ranked-choice voting would benefit candidates who are people of color, as well as those without the support of a major party.

"Democracy can only truly be effective when everyone's voice is heard. We need to implement ways, such as ranked-choice voting and early voting, that make voting and running for office more accessible for everyone,” Cruz said.

Kim questioned why someone would oppose the initiative in a phone call with the Eagle.

“If you’re against it then you’re for a toxic system,” Kim said. “I think people will be excited for it and it will be a model for the rest of country.”  

If enacted, ranked-choice voting would apply to local primary and special elections beginning in 2021. That includes elections for city councilmembers, borough presidents, the public advocate and the mayor.