What is ranked choice voting?
Ranked choice voting applies only to the City of Portland at this time.
In a ranked choice voting system, voters have the option to rank candidates in order of preference instead of selecting only one candidate.
To find out who wins, votes are counted in a series of rounds. In each round, one of two things happens: either a winning candidate is identified and elected, or the candidate in last place is eliminated and voters who ranked that candidate as their first choice will have their votes counted for their next choice.
For additional information about ranked choice voting please visit: https://www.portland.gov/vote/ranked-choice-voting
How do I vote my ranked choice ballot?
Fill in no more than one oval per column and no more than one oval per row.
- Fill one oval in the Rank 1 column for the candidate you like the most.
- If you have a candidate that you like second best, fill in one oval in the Rank 2 column for that candidate, and so on.
- You are allowed to rank up to six candidates, but you can vote for only one candidate if you prefer. Ranking other candidates does not harm your Rank 1 choice.
- To write in a candidate, write the candidate’s name on the line provided and fill in the oval for the rank of your choice.
Whether you are voting in a contest for a single winner (such as Mayor of Portland) or multiple winners (such as for Portland City Councilors), the ballot layout and steps to vote will be the same.
Common Mistakes
Skipped Rankings
When filling out your ballot, if you skip over a rank column, your next highest ranking will be elevated to take its place in the counting process.
Overvotes
If you choose multiple candidates in the same rank—for example, if you rank two candidates as your first choice—that is called an overvote. Your overvoted ranking will not be counted and your next highest ranking will be automatically elevated to take the place of the overvote.
Repeat Rankings
If you rank a single candidate multiple times, only the highest ranking is accepted and each lower ranking for the same candidate is ignored as if you had skipped that ranking.
If you make a mistake or change your mind while marking your ballot, you may correct it yourself.
- Make your choice obvious so that your intent is understood and your vote is counted correctly.
- See the examples below for how to correct your ballot if you fill in more than one oval in a column or a row.
- If you are unable to correct your ballot, you can request a replacement ballot from the elections office.
Location
Elections
Suite 170
Hillsboro, Oregon 97124