Ranked Choice Voting Opens for Richmond's People's Budget

Richmond, VA — Richmond residents are using ranked choice voting to decide how $3 million in city funds will be spent in their neighborhoods.

From April 1 to 15, anyone 14 years or older who lives, works, or studies in Richmond can vote on community-proposed projects through the Richmond People's Budget initiative. Each voter can rank their top three favorite projects rather than vote for just one, giving many Richmond residents their first exposure to ranked choice voting.

In each district, the People's Budget ballots will be counted in an instant-runoff where the project with the fewest votes is eliminated in each round and its supporters' votes transfer to their next choice. The first project to earn more than half the votes in each district will receive funding. Any remaining funds will be allocated to the other top finishers until each district's allocated funds are exhausted. Since each district has 10-15 candidate projects, the ranked choice process ensures that funded projects have broad community support rather than just a small plurality of votes.

Richmond's use of RCV for the People's Budget process is the latest sign that ranked choice is gaining momentum across Virginia. In 2023, Arlington became the first Virginia county to use ranked choice in its local elections, and Charlottesville is using ranked choice to elect its City Council this year. While Richmond City hasn't yet adopted ranked choice for its own official elections, the People's Budget offers residents a practical introduction to the voting method.

Voting is now open through April 15, and there are two convenient ways to cast your ballot: online and in-person at select Richmond libraries on the following dates:

• Saturday, April 5: Belmont Library (10am-1pm), East End Library (9am-12pm), Hull Street Library (2pm-5pm)
• Sunday, April 6: Main Branch Library (1pm-4pm), East End Library (9am-12pm)
• Saturday, April 12: North Avenue Library (10am-1pm), Westover Hills Library (2pm-5pm)
• Sunday, April 13: Ginter Park Library (1pm-4pm), West End Tabling (1pm-4pm)

People's Budget organizers expect to announce results by April 21, with implementation and monitoring of the winning projects to follow. To learn more about the projects on the ballot or the ranked choice voting process, visit the Richmond People's Budget online.