11th Congressional District Republican Executive Committee
Resolution to Oppose Ranked-Choice Voting
WHEREAS, the simplicity and integrity of the electoral process are fundamental for a fair, transparent, and easily understandable electoral system in a Constitutional Republic; and,
WHEREAS, Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV), also known as Instant Runoff Voting, introduces a complexity to the voting process by requiring voters to rank multiple candidates in order of preference, confusing voters, mandating use of machine ballot counters, and due to complexity in counting ballots increasing the likelihood of errors in vote tabulation leading to voter disenfranchisement; and,
WHEREAS, RCV undermines the “one person, one vote” by allowing certain votes to be weighed more heavily, where the winning candidate may not receive a majority of the initial first-choice votes, and which may not accurately reflect the will of the majority; and,
WHEREAS, jurisdictions that have implemented RCV have increased ballot exhaustion where voters’ preferences are discarded if they do not rank all candidates, resulting in some voters’ ballots being excluded from the final decision (the opposite of counting each ballot); and,
WHEREAS, the implementation of RCV often requires costly upgrades to voting systems, extensive voter education and administrative overhauls, can place an undue burden on local governments and taxpayers; and,
WHEREAS, evidence has not shown a consistent improvement in voter turnout or campaign civility as a result of RCV implementation; and,
WHEREAS, supporters of RCV seek to eliminate or disempower party primaries; and
WHEREAS, RCV can cause significant delays in determining election winners, often preventing results from being finalized on election night, thereby undermining public confidence in the electoral process (including an inability to manually recount or audit ballots cast);
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Eleventh Congressional District Committee of the Michigan Republican Party opposes the adoption of Ranked-Choice Voting in any electoral process in Michigan elections; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Eleventh Congressional District Republican Committee urges elected officials and policymakers to uphold the electoral process consistent with the current voting processes, which are simple, transparent, ensure clarity, fairness, and accessibility for all voters; and,
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that this Resolution be distributed to all Republican district chairs, county party chairs, and Republican elected officials in the State of Michigan to affirm the Eleventh Congressional District Committee of the Michigan Republican Party’s unwavering commitment to grassroots driven leadership and delegate-led governance.
As adopted by the Michigan 11th Congressional District Republican Executive Committee meeting in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan on July 15, 2025, with a vote of 22-0.
