State lawmakers think they know how to run elections better than local officials?

Ohio’s Senate recently advanced Senate Bill 63 — a ban on Ranked Choice Voting in Ohio. Casual observers may not be too concerned with this since most Ohioans probably don’t know what Ranked Choice Voting is. However, Ohioans should be concerned that our state legislature feels the need to violate the Home Rule provision (Article XVIII, Section 7) of the Ohio constitution by essentially telling cities and municipalities that it knows how to run elections better than they do.

Although RCV is not currently used anywhere in Ohio, the State feels the need to preemptively ban it. Why, you might ask? Is it because Ohio citizens have demanded this ban? No, there is no citizen group in Ohio seeking the ban. Is it because RCV is a fundamentally flawed method of running an election? No, RCV has been used by other countries for decades and has been used in Maine, Alaska and more than 40 US municipalities for years. Is it because RCV proponents have not voiced their opposition to Senate Bill 63? 

No, more than 60 Ohio citizens gave opponent testimony at multiple Senate hearings in 2025, supplying credible arguments to counter the proponents’ dubious ones. This number of 60 is in sharp contrast to the dozen or so people that gave proponent testimony (supporting the ban) – each testifier represented a special interest group that likely is a potential campaign funding source to the senators. 

Why then, are the bill’s sponsors pushing it? The simple answer: RCV holds politicians more accountable since it rewards politicians that appeal to a majority of voters, rather than simply appealing to a dedicated, partisan base of supporters.

Regardless of whether you believe RCV is a superior election method or not, the state legislature should not be infringing on the constitutional rights of Ohio cities and municipalities to use it if they decide to adopt it. This is a blatant example of the state overstepping its authority and attempting to dictate policy to local election officials. Ohioans should rightfully be asking our legislature: “Exactly whose interests are you pursuing with Senate Bill 63?”

John C Anderson

Columbus