Albany activists petition for ranked-choice voting in city elections
Electoral reform is one step closer to reality in the city of Albany.
Ranked Choice Voting Albany (RCV Albany) advocates submitted a petition Wednesday at City Hall, calling for a referendum to implement ranked-choice voting in city elections to be on this November’s ballot. More than 3,200 city residents signed the petition, RCV Albany organizers said, about 800 more than they needed to be heard by the Albany Common Council.
RCV Albany’s proposal would implement a ranked-choice voting system in Albany elections, allowing voters to rank their top five candidates for positions like mayor and councilmember. It would also eliminate party primaries for those races, leaving candidates — regardless of party affiliation — to duke it out in the November general election.
“Every voter would have the opportunity to help choose their leaders, and candidates would need to earn broad support from across the community,” RCV Albany co-chair Charlotte Collet said at a press conference Wednesday. “This proposal is about giving voters more choices, encouraging more positive campaigns, and ensuring that our elections better reflect the people of Albany.”
https://www.wamc.org/news/2026-07-01/ranked-choice-voting-albany-ny-petition-referendum?_amp=true