Fact Check: The ranked-choice voting system in New York allows voters to rank up to five candidates on their ballots.

Fact Check: "The ranked-choice voting system in New York allows voters to rank up to five candidates on their ballots."

What We Know

The ranked-choice voting (RCV) system implemented in New York City allows voters to rank up to five candidates in order of their preference. This system was introduced for special and primary elections for various municipal offices, including Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller, Borough President, and City Council, following a charter amendment approved by voters in 2019 (Public Advocate, NYC Votes).

Under this system, voters can indicate their first, second, third, fourth, and fifth choices on their ballots. If a voter's top choice is eliminated during the counting process, their vote automatically transfers to their next highest-ranked candidate (NYC Votes, NYCLU). Importantly, voters are not required to rank all five candidates; they can choose to rank fewer candidates or just one (Public Advocate, NYC Votes).

Analysis

The claim that New York's ranked-choice voting system allows voters to rank up to five candidates is supported by multiple reliable sources. The Public Advocate and NYC Votes both explicitly state that voters can rank up to five candidates in order of preference. This information is consistent across various reputable sources, including the New York Civil Liberties Union and CNN, which also confirm the mechanics of the RCV system.

The sources used in this analysis are credible and provide a comprehensive overview of how ranked-choice voting works in New York City. They are produced by reputable organizations and government entities, which enhances their reliability. The information is consistent and corroborated across multiple platforms, indicating a strong consensus on the mechanics of the voting system.

Conclusion

Verdict: True
The claim that the ranked-choice voting system in New York allows voters to rank up to five candidates on their ballots is accurate. This system is designed to give voters more options and ensure that their preferences are taken into account, even if their top choice is not successful.

Sources

1. Ranked Choice Voting Explained - Public Advocate
2. Ranked Choice Voting for NYC Local Elections
3. Ranked Choice Voting
4. Ranked choice voting explained: What to know for New York City mayor…
5. Explaining New York City's ranked-choice voting system ...
6. Ranked Choice Voting in NYC: What You Need to Know
7. Ranked-choice voting NYC explained for New York City ...
8. Ranked Choice Voting: Lessons in Democracy Reform ...