Ranked Choice Voting & Nonpartisan Primary Study | Voting Systems Study | Studies Clearinghouse |Study Process |
The League of Women Voters takes action on an issue only when we have a position addressing it. If the members have not studied and come to consensus on it, the League has no position and therefore cannot take action. Studies (whether national, state, or local) are a defined process lasting one to three years, during which we undertake thorough pursuit of facts and details, both positive and negative, and come to consensus about policy.
LWVNYS Ranked Choice Voting & Nonpartisan Primary Study Materials
A Committeewas charged by League delegates at the League of Women Voters of New York State 2023 convention with studying ranked choice voting (RCV) for all levels and types of elections (i.e. local, state, federal, primary and general) and a review of New York State’s primary system with consideration of nonpartisan primaries.
Using the new study process adopted by the League of Women Voters of New York State Board in 2019, the RCV and Nonpartisan Primary Systems Committee has prepared a set of position statements that, if approved by members, will be used to form new state League positions on the use of ranked-choice voting and nonpartisan primaries for elections in New York State.
The results of the study have been divided into two separate board-approved position statements that we are asking local League and individual members to concur with.
- Support for the use of Ranked Choice Voting
- Support for primary systems that open participation to more registered voters, up to and including the use of nonpartisan primaries where all voters can vote for all candidates
If approved by members, one or both position statements will be used by the state Board to finalize new state League positions on the ranked-choice voting and primary voting systems. 
Read the study materials here. More information to come about the zoom meeting to discuss the position statements.
Voting Systems Approval Study
This Committee was charged by League delegates at the 2023 convention with studying the State Board of Elections (BOE) Voting System approval process system with the purpose of seeing if the process can be improved to be more effective in ensuring that approved voting systems meet a balance of the SARAT (secure, accurate, recountable, accessible and transparent) criteria.
Read the study materials here. Further information will follow about the zoom meeting.
What Studies Are There?
Studies from across the nation are in our League of Women Voters Education Fund Clearinghouse for studies.
What Is The Study Process?
- Study Committee members fashion consensus questions that are then asked of the membership as part of a study kit. Kits often include articles, books, data in the form of charts and graphs, videos, suggested speakers, discussion questions, and other resources. Members use the study kit internally and often with their community to better understand the issue.
- Consensus is the overall decision-making process by which substantial agreement among members is reached on an issue. Often this happens over the course of several meetings, but may include surveys and other methods. If the members reach consensus, the board forms recommended positions based on that consensus. Those recommendations are submitted to the Study Committee.
- The Study Committee then reviews all the submissions. It works to form a consensus statement - the statement resulting from the consensus questions - that becomes a recommended position.
- That recommended position is then reviewed and voted on by our members (usually by delegates at our Convention). The proposal may be approved, amended, or be rejected at that time.
- If a position is adopted, firm action can then be taken on the particular issue addressed by the position. Without a position, action can not be taken on that issue.
Read the national Guidelines for LWVUS Studies.
