How Ranked-Choice Voting Changed New York City Campaigns

New York City voters approved ranked-choice voting in 2019, and it was first used citywide in the 2021 primaries. In primary and special elections for Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller, Borough President and City Council, voters can rank up to five candidates.

How the count works

If no candidate has more than half of the first-choice votes, the last-place candidate is eliminated and those ballots move to each voter’s next choice. This repeats until one candidate has a majority of the remaining votes.

What changed for campaigns

• Second choices matter. Campaigns now ask voters, “If not me first, rank me second.”
• Cross-endorsements are common. Candidates with similar supporters sometimes encourage voters to rank each other.
• Negative campaigning carries more risk. Attacking a rival can cost you their supporters’ second-choice rankings.
• Voter education is part of the job. Mail, canvassing and digital ads often explain how to fill in the ballot.

What stays the same

First-choice votes still matter most. A campaign that cannot build a strong base will not be saved by rankings. The fundamentals of message, money and field are as important as ever.