Ranked Choice Voting Passes Election Committee, Bipartisan Municipal Leaders Urge State Authorization Of Opt-In

Coalition news release:

A bipartisan coalition of municipal leaders from across Connecticut has sent a joint letter to Governor Ned Lamont and legislative leaders urging passage of legislation to authorize Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) as an opt-in option for municipalities. The call for action comes as Senate Bill 386 (SB 386)—legislation that would allow Connecticut municipalities to voluntarily adopt Ranked Choice Voting for municipal elections and party primaries—received a favorable vote yesterday from the Government Administration and Elections (GAE) Committee in the Connecticut General Assembly, advancing the proposal in the legislative process.

The letter—addressed to Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, Senate Minority Leader Stephen Harding, Speaker of the House Matthew Ritter, and House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora—emphasizes that the proposal would not mandate RCV statewide, but instead empower cities and towns to adopt the system for their own municipal elections if they choose.

Signatories include mayors and local officials representing diverse communities such as Stamford, New Britain, Norwalk, Norwich, Bridgeport, and Hartford, underscoring broad geographic and bipartisan support for the reform.

“This is a practical, incremental reform that respects local control,” the municipal leaders write. “It gives communities the freedom to strengthen democratic participation in ways that best reflect their residents’ needs.”

The coalition points to troubling declines in civic engagement during the 2023 municipal elections. Bridgeport’s turnout fell to 19.98% (down from 21.98% in 2019), while Hartford’s dropped to 13.74% (down from 18.14% in 2019). Leaders argue that these numbers reflect both voter disengagement and diminished confidence in a system that frequently produces plurality winners without majority support.

Ranked Choice Voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, ensuring that winners secure majority backing in multi-candidate races. Supporters contend that this approach reduces negative campaigning, encourages coalition-building, and leads to more issue-focused elections.

The letter also notes that the opt-in municipal framework is consistent with the Governor’s Working Group on RCV and is unaffected by the Attorney General’s recent opinion concerning constitutional offices, as the proposal applies only to municipal elections and party primaries—well within the authority of the General Assembly.

At a recent public hearing, testimony in favor of RCV came from a wide-ranging bipartisan coalition, including municipal leaders, veterans, labor organizations, environmental advocates, student leaders from UConn and Yale, good-government groups, and representatives from both major parties as well as the Connecticut Independent Party.

Research cited during the hearing highlighted increased engagement under RCV systems elsewhere. In Minneapolis–St. Paul, voter turnout increased by 9.6% after adopting RCV, with the most significant gains in higher-poverty areas. Advocates argue that similar outcomes could help reverse declining participation in Connecticut’s cities and towns.

With Quinnipiac polling showing that nearly 70% of voters express concern about the future of democracy, municipal leaders describe RCV as a timely, constitutional, and community-driven reform that can help restore public trust.

Mayor Barbara Smyth of Norwalk stated, “As a mayor, my priority is making sure residents feel heard and represented. Ranked Choice Voting offers a way to encourage broader participation and ensure that winners in multi-candidate races have true majority support. Giving cities like Norwalk the option to adopt RCV is a practical step that strengthens local democracy while preserving our ability to choose what works best for our community.”

Mayor Swarnjit Singh of Norwich said, “Ranked Choice Voting allows residents to rank candidates in order of preference, ensuring that winners earn majority support—particularly important in races with multiple candidates. Providing municipalities the option to adopt RCV would give local leaders the flexibility to strengthen democratic participation and give voters more voice in their communities.”

Mayor Caroline Simmons of Stamford said, “This opt-in framework is exactly the kind of practical, incremental reform that respects local control while modernizing our democratic processes. Allowing municipalities to adopt Ranked Choice Voting voluntarily ensures that communities can evaluate and implement reforms that strengthen participation and better reflect the will of their voters.”

Former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said, “Throughout my time as mayor, I saw how important it is for residents to feel that their voices truly count in local elections. Ranked Choice Voting is a thoughtful reform that helps ensure winners earn broad support while encouraging more constructive, issue-focused campaigns. Giving municipalities the option to adopt RCV is a practical way to strengthen confidence in our elections and better reflect the will of the voters we serve.”

Governor Lamont added, “Connecticut works best when we focus on practical solutions that strengthen trust in our institutions. Allowing municipalities to adopt Ranked Choice Voting on an opt-in basis respects local control while giving communities a tool to increase participation and ensure majority support in local elections. This is not about partisanship, it’s about empowering voters and modernizing our democracy in a thoughtful, constitutional way.”

By authorizing municipalities to adopt RCV voluntarily through SB 386, Connecticut would take a pragmatic step toward modernizing its elections while preserving local decision-making authority.