Ranked Choice Voting

  • At the November 2, 2021 election, Broomfield electors approved Ballot Question 2A amending the Broomfield Municipal Code to require elections for city councilmembers and the mayor to be conducted using a ranked voting method beginning at the November 7, 2023 election. The November 7, 2023 election did not require a ranked voting method as no position had more than two candidates. 
  • The Colorado Secretary of State was required to establish rules for auditing ranked voting elections by January 1, 2025. However, Senate Bill 24-210 extended the Secretary of State's deadline to establish rules for auditing ranked voting elections to January 1, 2026.
  • At the February 12, 2025 city council meeting, council voted to amend the effective date for the implementation of ranked voting elections for city council and mayoral elections until the Secretary of State's Office has established audit rules beginning with the November 2, 2027 municipal election.

What is Ranked Choice Voting?

Ranked Choice Voting is an election method that allows voters the option to rank candidates in order of preference (first choice, second choice, third choice, and so on) when there are three or more candidates. If a candidate receives more than 50% of the first choices, that candidate wins, just like in any other election.

During the first round of tabulation, the voting system tabulates the first-choice ranks on each ballot. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the first-choice ranks on each ballot, the voting system must continue to the next round of tabulation. During the next round of tabulation, the voting system must ensure that the candidate with the fewest first-choice ranks in the first round is eliminated and the eliminated candidate’s votes are transferred to each ballot’s next-ranked continuing candidate. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes cast after the second round the voting system must repeat additional rounds of tabulation until there is a winning candidate.

For a visual on how votes are counted in rounds, visit NYC Votes.

Which Elections will use Ranked Choice Voting?

If there are more than two candidates, Broomfield will only use ranked choice voting when electing the mayor and city council.

View All FAQs

With ranked choice voting, voters mark their ballots in order of preference – 1st choice, 2nd choice, 3rd choice, and so on.

  1. Select a first-choice candidate by completely filling in the oval next to the candidate's name in the FIRST CHOICE column.
  2. If you have a second-choice candidate, completely fill in the oval next to that candidate’s name in the SECOND CHOICE column.
  3. If you have a third-choice candidate, completely fill in the oval next to that candidate’s name in the THIRD CHOICE column.
  4. You can continue to rank candidates until you run out of allowable rankings or run out of candidates.

To see an example of how to mark your ballot with rank choice voting, see a practice ballot at San Francisco Elections web page.

Important points about correctly marking a ranked voting ballot

  • Mark only one choice per column.
  • Mark only one choice per candidate.
    • Do not skip rankings. For example, do not fill in 1st and 3rd choices without filling out a 2nd choice.
    • You may rank as few candidates as you would like.
    • You may rank as many candidates as are allowed.

EXAMPLES:

EXAMPLE 1:

This is a correctly marked ballot on which the voter has indicated a 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice.

Example 1: chart

EXAMPLE 2:

This ballot is incorrect. The voter has overvoted 2nd ranking where 1st choice is marked correctly, two candidates are marked for 2nd choice, 3rd choice is not marked.

How this voter’s ballot will be counted:

  • The first choice will be counted.
  • The second choice vote will not be counted – voter’s intent cannot be determined because this column has been overvoted.

Example 2: chart

 

EXAMPLE 3:

This ballot is incorrect. The voter has a duplicate ranking in which the same candidate is marked for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choices.

How this voter’s ballot will be counted:

  • The first choice will be counted.
  • If the first-choice candidate is eliminated, the second and third choices cannot be considered, as they are duplications.


Example 3: chart


Resource: Ranked Choice Voting Resource Center