ROCHESTER, Minn. -
Political devotees filled City Council Chambers pleading Council to show its support for ranked choice voting in the city of Rochester. They wore orange shirts and stickers declaring: "I love Ranked Choice Voting."
In this system - voters don't choose one candidate - but rank their first, second and third choices.
Council voted to adopt a resolution that would support a bill at the state legislature allowing cities like Rochester to use ranked choice voting - if they wanted to.
"We've really seen in the places where ranked choice voting is used, there's much less negative campaigning, if your candidate has attacked my favorite candidate, I'm much less likely to give you my second-place vote," Rick Morris said.
The motion passed 5-1-1 with President Randy Staver voting "no" and Councilmember Shaun Palmer abstaining. According to the resolution, more than 87 percent of polled voters in the Twin Cities say ranked choice voting is simple to use.
