SE Grand Rapids News

State Representative Rachelle Smit has led the Michigan House in passing a bill to prohibit Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) in the state. House Bill 4707, introduced by Smit, passed on Wednesday and will now proceed to the Senate for further debate.

Smit, who chairs the House Elections Integrity Committee, cited concerns about voter confusion and election integrity as key reasons for advancing the ban. She said her experience as a township clerk influenced her position.

“My years as a township clerk taught me that clear, straightforward election rules are the only way to maintain public trust,” said Smit, R-Martin. “Ranked Choice Voting, with its rounds of counting and reallocation, only breeds skepticism – especially when every close contest invites lawsuits and recount battles. Michigan doesn’t need ballot-box gymnastics. We need integrity, clarity, and confidence, which are all qualities Ranked Choice Voting cannot deliver.”

Under Ranked Choice Voting systems, voters rank candidates by preference. If no candidate secures a majority after initial ballots are counted, those with the fewest votes are eliminated in rounds and their votes reassigned based on next preferences until someone wins.

“This may sound interesting in theory – but in practice, it’s a logistical nightmare,” Smit said. “Ranked Choice Voting creates serious confusion at the ballot box. Studies and real-world elections have shown that Ranked Choice Voting disproportionately impacts minority voters and those who don’t vote in every election. Instead of empowering voters, Ranked Choice Voting risks silencing them. It doesn’t strengthen democracy; it weakens it. Ranked Choice Voting has no place in Michigan.”

If approved by the Senate and signed into law, Michigan would join other states that have recently debated or enacted restrictions on alternative voting methods.