Ohio Bill Banning Ranked Choice Voting Advances Following AMAC Action Testimony

AMAC Action Senior Vice President Andy Mangione provided written testimony this week to the Ohio House General Government Committee in strong support of Senate Bill 63, legislation that would prohibit ranked-choice voting (RCV) in the Buckeye State. The bill passed with amendments shortly after the testimony was submitted.

RCV is often promoted as a modernization of the electoral process, but in practice it replaces a clear, time-tested system with unnecessary complexity. Under Ohio’s current framework, voters cast one vote for one candidate per office – a straightforward process rooted in the principle of one person, one vote.

RCV, by contrast, requires voters to rank multiple candidates in order of preference. If no candidate receives a majority, the lowest-performing candidate is eliminated, and votes are redistributed in successive rounds until one candidate emerges with a majority.

While this may sound simple in theory, it introduces confusion in practice. Voters may be required to rank candidates about whom they have little knowledge, and ballot errors become more likely as instructions grow more complicated. As Mangione noted in his testimony, “The evidence shows that ranked-choice voting undermines confidence in the democratic process, particularly among voters who have spent decades participating in straightforward elections based on the simple and effective principle of one person, one vote.”

Beyond voter confusion, RCV opens the door to strategic manipulation. Campaigns that understand the mechanics of multiple counting rounds can instruct supporters on how to rank candidates in ways designed to disadvantage opponents. Mangione warned that such “gaming” of the system is unfair and risks distorting outcomes that would otherwise reflect the clear will of the electorate.

Senate Bill 63 addresses these concerns directly by prohibiting the use of ranked-choice voting in Ohio elections. In his testimony on behalf of more than 85,000 AMAC members in Ohio, Mangione emphasized that election integrity and public trust must remain paramount.

He also pointed to the financial burden associated with implementing RCV. Ohio has already invested in secure and reliable voting infrastructure, but RCV would require more advanced tabulation systems capable of handling multiple rounds of counting, recalculations, and potential recounts – along with expanded voter education efforts.

These additional costs, he argued, are unnecessary when the current system functions effectively.

With the Ohio House’s passage of SB 63 and the bill now returning to the Senate for concurrence on the amendments before final enactment, Ohio is poised to reaffirm its commitment to straightforward, secure elections. Through written testimony and ongoing advocacy, AMAC Action continues to stand with its members in defense of election integrity and the foundational principle of one person, one vote.