Curious about Ranked-Choice Voting? Minneapolis, Maine and New York City have made the switch. Or maybe you've heard about the Fair Representation Act (H.R. 4000) before the U.S. Congress. Electoral reform in the U.S. is gaining momentum.

Most countries in the world vote differently than we do here in the United States. Simple plurality or “first past the post” voting, meaning voters mark one choice and the person with the most votes wins, is used primarily in the U.K., the U.S. and other former colonies of Great Britain. Plurality voting is easy to use and understand, but it discourages sincere voting and, compared to other methods, is less effective at electing the candidate(s) who are most representative of the people.

On Wednesday February 12, 2020, the Alternative Voting Methodologies Study Team of the League of Women Voters of Delaware (LWVDE) will present information on alternative voting methodologies including standard runoff elections, instant-runoff ranked-choice voting, range or "score" voting, and multi-member districting. We'll have ballot demonstration exercises so attendees can experience how it feels to vote in different ways, and see how the outcome differs depending on the voting methodology used.

The public is invited, but space is limited, so advance reservations are required. The event is free. Attendees may order their own food and beverages from the regular menu as desired.

Challenge your own assumptions. Join us on February 12 in the events room of the Greene Turtle Bar & Grille in Dover, Delaware.

Additional information about voting

• Definitions of Common Voting and Election Terms - Learn the meaning of common terms used in voting and elections.
• Voting policies in the United States - Voting policies are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies dictate the conditions under which American citizens cast ballots in their individual states. Notable policy areas include the following: voter identification requirements, early voting, no-excuse absentee voting, same-day voter registration, and online voter registration.
• State of Delaware Board of Elections - The Department of Elections is committed to ensuring that all qualified Delawareans are afforded the opportunity to securely and conveniently register to vote, update their voter registration, participate in elections in which they are eligible to vote, and have easy access to the wealth of information available about voting and elections in Delaware.