Gaming the Vote

Introduction to Ranked-Choice Voting

Dear New Yorkers,

Lately, readers have been asking us: Is there a way to “game” the ranked-choice voting system? With such a crowded race, are there any tricks to boosting your favorite candidate? What’s the strategy for who goes in spots two through five?

We are here to say there’s no magic to it.

Our colleague Rachel Kahn spent time talking to voting experts who said the only strategy really is the most straightforward one: rank your favorite candidate highest, rank only the folks you could live with in office, leave off anyone you really dislike — and try not to leave any ballot spot blank.

“New Yorkers are always looking for some special angle, and the thing about ranked choice voting is it’s designed to allow you to vote your values. This one just doesn’t have an angle,” voting advocate Susan Lerner told her.

Campaign Strategies

Voters don’t have to scheme when it comes to ranked choice. But campaigns definitely do. Read more here about ranked choice voting strategy.

Also this week, the city Campaign Finance Board released their annual voter report, a trove of neighborhood-level information through this past November’s election. Some of the things that caught my eye:

• There was a big spike in younger voters, with more than half of newly-registered ones being under 30.
• Those young voters came out at higher rates for the general election than their age group did in previous races.
• There’s also a steady rise in voters who aren’t affiliated with either party, which bars them from voting in primaries. As of 2024, there are more than 1 million registered unaffiliated voters.

And last year’s November election had a sharp increase in ballots left blank, which our Claudia Irizarry Aponte wrote about here.

What We’re Reading

The city Campaign Finance Board has once again rejected Mayor Eric Adams’ request for campaign matching funds, as it significantly expands its investigation into Adams’ political fundraising following a trail of evidence revealed by THE CITY.

• Frank Morano was elected to the City Council, replacing former Councilmember Joe Borelli, in a special election on Staten Island this week. But his races aren’t over just yet: He’ll serve out the rest of Borelli’s term the rest of the year, but now has to win a Republican primary in June and the general in November to stay in office through 2026.
• A few weeks back, we told you about Mayor Adams’ kind of clunky choice for an independent party name. Now he’s trying out two different names as he petitions for November.
• New recommendations from the mayor’s charter review commission include creating nonpartisan primaries and moving municipal elections to even-years. If either of those moves forward, it would massively change the way New York votes.

What’s Ahead

Days until the June primary: 54

• May 8: Mayoral forum with the ACLU and NAACP focused on civil rights and liberties, moderated by FAQ NYC co-host Christina Greer, 6 p.m. at The Cooper Union. RSVP here.
• May 14: Mayoral forum with the Five Borough Waterfront, moderated by THE CITY’s Samantha Maldonado, 7 to 8:30 p.m. via Zoom. Register here.
• May 15: Our local news friends at Hellgate and New York Focus are co-moderating a mayoral forum at The Public Theater, 8 p.m.
• May 23: The next deadline for campaigns to publicly disclose their fundraising hauls. This will tell us who has the most and least cash on hand, and who is donating to each candidate.
• May 30: The first Republican debate for the mayoral primary, hosted by NY1 in partnership with THE CITY. Details here.

Your Election Questions, Answered

❓Reader Lizzie M. asked: I think the public needs reminders about exact dates to vote — early and general!
Answer: Lizzie, you’re so right. Early voting starts June 14 and runs through June 22, and Primary Day is June 24. Also very important: The deadline to register to vote in the primary is June 14! Check if you’re registered here.

Have a question for our election team? Reply back to this email or send your questions to ask@thecity.nyc.

The Campaign Kicker

N20? B9? The city’s Board of Election used a familiar bingo cage — and even had a bingo card — to randomly select the order candidate names will appear on the June ballot. Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani will appear first on voter ballots in the Democratic mayoral primary.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the ranked-choice voting system is designed to allow voters to vote their values without needing to scheme or game the system. The best strategy is to rank your favorite candidate highest, rank only the folks you could live with in office, and leave off anyone you really dislike. With the June primary approaching, it’s essential to stay informed about the candidates, their strategies, and the voting process.

FAQs

Q: What is ranked-choice voting?
A: Ranked-choice voting is a system where voters rank candidates in order of preference, and the candidate with the most first-choice votes wins.
Q: How do I register to vote in the primary?
A: The deadline to register to vote in the primary is June 14. Check if you’re registered here.
Q: What are the dates for early voting and Primary Day?
A: Early voting starts June 14 and runs through June 22, and Primary Day is June 24.
Q: Can I leave ballot spots blank?
A: It’s recommended to try not to leave any ballot spot blank, but you can if you don’t want to vote for a particular candidate.
Q: How can I get more information about the candidates and their strategies?
A: You can read more about ranked choice voting strategy and stay informed about the candidates and their campaigns through news articles and election updates.