FGA Applauds Tennessee Republicans for Protecting Voters by Prohibiting Runoff and Ranked-Choice Voting
- BY FGA
NAPLES, FL—This week, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed legislation prohibiting county election commissions from utilizing ranked-choice voting in local and state elections. Senate Bill 1820, introduced by Senator Brian Kelsey, and House Bill 1868, introduced by Representative Kevin Vaughn, amend the state code to protect voters from “ballot exhaustion” and voter confusion.
The Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) has extensively advocated against ranked-choice voting, also known as “instant runoff voting,” a harmful electoral system that 65 percent of Tennessee voters oppose. Voters ranking candidates by preference on a ballot can lead to situations where the winning candidate will fall short of an actual majority, and ultimately, some votes may not count at all. Tennessee voters deserve nothing less than to know that their votes are accurately counted and that the candidate with the most votes will prevail in state and local elections.
“Sen. Kelsey and Rep. Vaughn, with the support of Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett, have fought hard to protect Tennessee voters from this confusing and undemocratic process. They are to be commended for standing strong to preserve the integrity of elections and voter confidence,” said Bryan Sunderland, FGA State Government Affairs Director. “S.B. 1820 and H.B. 1868 will protect Tennessee voters for years to come, ensuring they have the confidence that their ballot will be accurately counted and the candidate with the most votes will win. Other states can and should follow Tennessee’s lead by protecting their states from efforts to weaken elections with ranked-choice voting schemes.”
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The Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) is a non-profit, multi-state think tank that promotes public policy solutions to create opportunities for every American to experience the American Dream. To learn more, visit TheFGA.org.
