Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A series of town hall-style presentations in Livingston County kicks off this weekend.

The events are focused on Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) - a reform that organizers say could change the way voters in Michigan and across the nation participate in elections.

Rank MI Vote is bringing the “Bridge the Divide Tour” to the county.

A release states “We need to turn down the temperature in our politics and Ranked Choice Voting will bridge the divide. Learn how this simple upgrade to how we vote decreases division and voter frustration and improves representation”.

The town halls will take place in Howell, Brighton, Pinckney, and Hartland and are open to the public. The events are free and aim to provide area residents with a clear understanding of how Ranked Choice Voting works, its potential benefits for Michigan’s elections, as well as how it could improve the overall voting experience.

The website states “When you feel frustrated by politics, you’re not alone. 65% of voters report feeling exhausted just thinking about politics. They feel what we’ve known for a long time: our political system is dominated by special interests, SuperPACs, and partisan elites who enrich themselves at the public’s expense”.

Ranked Choice Voting is a voting method where voters rank candidates in order of preference, rather than selecting just one. If no candidate achieves a majority, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and votes are redistributed based on the next preference. That process continues until a candidate has a majority.

Proponents of RCV argue that it can “reduce negative campaigning, ensure more representative outcomes, and encourage a wider range of candidates to run for office”.

The first of the upcoming local town hall events is this Saturday from 1 to 2pm at the Howell Carnegie District Library’s Meabon Room (enter from back of library).

Others events include:

-Saturday, December 6th 12:00 to 1:30pm at Pinckney Community Public Library
-Sunday, December 7th 1:30 to 3pm at Brighton District Library
-Saturday, December 13th 11am to 12pm Hartland Cromaine District Library

It was noted the events are all hosted at, but not by, the individual libraries.

A release states at the Town Hall events, participants will have the opportunity to:

- Learn about the problems with the current voting system

-Hear about an ambitious plan for a solution: ranked choice voting

-How ranked choice voting eliminates current election issues like “spoilers” and “lesser of two evils”

-Ask questions and voice opinions about how RCV could impact Michigan’s elections


Paul Giessner, a Howell-based volunteer with Rank MI Vote, commented "This is an opportunity for Howell residents to learn more about an important electoral reform and how it can empower voters and improve democracy. We encourage everyone to attend, whether they are already familiar with RCV or are just curious to learn more."

Attendees will also learn how RCV has been implemented in other parts of the country, its potential advantages for Michigan, and what the process to bring it to Michigan looks like.

For more information, visit the provided links.