Conservative nonprofits from out-of-state are backing a Kansas bill that would ban ranked-choice voting, a system that has not been used in official Kansas elections since 2020. The bill, Senate Bill 6, would prohibit giving voters the option to rank candidates by order of preference. Supporters of the ban, including Opportunity Solutions Project and Honest Elections Project, argue that ranked-choice voting is costly, complicated, and could suppress voter turnout. Meanwhile, opponents believe it increases voter satisfaction and offers more alternatives to traditional two-party politics.
The bill defines ranked-choice voting as a form of voting where voters rank candidates in order of preference until one candidate receives a majority of the votes. Proponents like Elaine Stephen point to other places such as Minneapolis, Alaska, and Maine that have successfully implemented ranked-choice voting. However, opponents like Jason Snead argue that it complicates the voting process and requires extensive public reeducation.
The bill was subject to a hearing on Monday, where legislators heard testimony both for and against ranked-choice voting. As of now, 11 states, including Missouri, have rejected ranked-choice voting.
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Kansas Reflector reports on out-of-state advocates backing the ban on ranked-choice voting in Kansas
