ICYMI: Terri Lynn Land Warns Against Ranked-Choice Voting

Lansing, MI - Former Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land penned an op-ed for The Detroit News this week urging Michigan voters to reject efforts to bring ranked-choice voting (RCV) to the state.

Land writes, “Right now, petition circulators are trying to amend our state constitution to force ranked-choice voting into Michigan’s elections. I urge you not to sign this petition. If passed, this amendment would permanently change how we choose our leaders while adding confusion and expense to the process.”

Land highlights how RCV undermines Michigan’s long tradition of straightforward elections. Instead of one person, one vote, RCV forces voters to rank candidates they may know little about, creating confusion and often discarding ballots before the final round of counting. She notes the real-world consequences in places like Alaska, Maine, and New York City, where RCV has led to exhausted ballots, slower results, and left voters wondering if their vote truly counted.

“This is not about partisan advantage,” Land wrote. “It’s about protecting the voice of every Michigan voter – regardless of party – and preserving the democratic principles we all share.”

This week, House Republicans passed HB 4707, a bill to ban ranked-choice voting in Michigan.