Canvassers will soon be going around Michigan asking residents to sign a petition to put Ranked Choice Voting on the ballot.

This message is to help you understand why you may want to think twice before signing. If someone approaches you about Ranked Choice Voting, you'll have the facts you need to make an informed decision — and understand the reasons why not signing might be the better choice.

Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) is a way to vote where you rank candidates from your favorite to your least favorite. If a candidate gets the fewest votes, they’re out, and the votes for them go to the voters’ next favorite candidate. This keeps going until one candidate gets more than half the votes and wins. To learn more about why some places don’t use RCV, why it might not work, the different kinds of RCV, its history, and where it’s used now, check out the FAQs and the resources provided.

Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) is often promoted as a way to make elections fairer, but in practice, it can create more problems than it solves. The system requires voters to rank multiple candidates in order of preference, which can be confusing and lead to unintended mistakes or ballot errors. In some cases, if all of a voter’s ranked choices are eliminated, their vote no longer counts toward the final outcome—a process known as “ballot exhaustion.” RCV can also lead to delayed election results due to the complex tabulation process, and in certain races, candidates with the most initial support have actually lost due to how votes are redistributed. Additionally, implementing RCV can be costly, requiring new voting machines, software upgrades, and extensive voter education. While it may sound appealing at first, RCV often undermines voter confidence, complicates elections, and fails to deliver on its promises of greater fairness.

Right now. Canvassers are actively going door-to-door across Michigan, asking residents to sign a petition to put Ranked Choice Voting on an upcoming ballot. This is a critical moment for voters to get informed before making a decision. Signing a petition may seem like a small act, but it could significantly impact how Michigan elections are run in the future. Whether you’ve already been approached or may be soon, now is the time to understand what Ranked Choice Voting really means—so you’re prepared to make an informed choice when asked. Don’t wait until it’s too late to learn the facts.

You don’t have to be caught off guard. If someone approaches you to sign a petition for Ranked Choice Voting, you have the right to ask questions, decline to sign, or simply say “No, thank you.” Being informed is your first line of defense. Take time now to read up on the potential downsides of Ranked Choice Voting so you can confidently respond if approached.

If you want to be more proactive:

• Share this information with friends, neighbors, and family
• Talk to local community groups or organizations that value election transparency
• Stay connected on social media to help raise awareness
• Volunteer to help inform others or monitor petitioning efforts

Every voice matters—especially when it comes to protecting the integrity of our elections. Saying “no” to a petition can be just as powerful as signing one, especially when it’s done with clarity and confidence.