Supporters of proportional ranked choice voting say many of the country's political divisions stem not just from ideology, but from the structure of elections themselves.
That idea is the focus of a free screening Saturday in Ashland of the 2025 documentary "American Troubles: A Tale of Two Democracies," hosted by the League of Women Voters of the Rogue Valley.
The film compares Northern Ireland's electoral reforms with Portland's recently adopted proportional ranked choice voting system, arguing that different election rules can produce broader representation and reduce polarization.
Under ranked choice voting, voters rank candidates in order of preference rather than selecting just one. If a voter's first-choice candidate is eliminated, their vote transfers to their next-ranked candidate.
"Sell the brownies, not the recipe," said Babara Klein, vice president of the League of Women Voters of Oregon.
Klein said advocates believe the conversation should focus on what ranked choice voting could achieve rather than the technical details of how ballots are counted.
"We want better elections. We want room for moderates. We want no spoiler effect, less negative campaigning, and of course, better representation of the voter," she said. "That's key."
Klein said proportional ranked choice voting extends that concept to elections where multiple seats are filled at once, giving more groups of voters an opportunity to win representation.
Klein said candidates in ranked choice voting systems sometimes campaign together, asking voters to rank one candidate first and another second.
She said that creates incentives to speak positively about other candidates rather than attack them.
Klein also said the current winner-take-all system can leave many voters feeling their voices don't matter, particularly in places where one party consistently dominates elections.
She said proportional representation could encourage more people to vote by giving more voters a meaningful opportunity to help elect candidates who reflect their views.
The League of Women Voters says its advocacy is not aimed at changing the political makeup of any particular community.
"We want a bigger voice for everybody," Klein said.
Event
- A free screening of "American Troubles: A Tale of Two Democracies" begins at 4 p.m. Saturday, June 20, at the Ashland Public Library. A question-and-answer session with Klein will follow the film.
Guest
- Barbara Klein, vice president, League of Women Voters Oregon
