1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to oppose Senate Bill 63, which passed the Ohio House on February 25 and would ban ranked choice voting statewide. This legislation represents an unnecessary restriction on local democracy and prevents Ohio communities from implementing a voting system that has proven successful in other jurisdictions. Ranked choice voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference rather than selecting just one. This system ensures winning candidates have broader support from their constituents and eliminates the need for costly runoff elections. Multiple states and cities across the country have successfully adopted this method, demonstrating its viability and benefits. Senate Bill 63 goes beyond simply declining to implement ranked choice voting at the state level. It actively prohibits municipalities from experimenting with this system for their own local elections and imposes penalties on cities that attempt to do so. This represents a troubling overreach that strips local communities of their ability to determine how best to conduct their own elections. Ohio cities should have the freedom to innovate and test voting methods that may better serve their residents. Local governments are closest to their constituents and best positioned to understand what electoral systems work for their communities. By banning ranked choice voting entirely, the state legislature is preventing valuable experimentation that could inform future policy decisions. I ask that you oppose Senate Bill 63 and support the right of Ohio municipalities to choose their own voting methods. Local control over elections has long been a principle of American democracy, and there is no compelling reason to prevent communities from exploring ranked choice voting if they believe it will better represent their voters' preferences. Please stand against this unnecessary restriction on local decision-making authority.