Albuquerque City Council Rejects Ranked Choice Voting Proposal, Opponents Cite Complexity and Voter Confusion
“The Albuquerque City Council made the right call. Voting should be simple, transparent, and easy to understand—not a process that leaves voters guessing or ballots discarded,” said Ken Cuccinelli, National Chairman of the Election Transparency Initiative.
— Ken Cuccinelli, National Chairman of ETI
Decision reflects growing national scrutiny of ranked choice voting systems
Arlington, VA — April 13, 2026 — The Albuquerque City Council voted last week to reject a proposal to implement Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) in municipal elections, marking another instance of policymakers stepping back from a system increasingly criticized for complexity and lack of transparency.
The proposal’s defeat comes amid rising concerns that ranked choice voting systems can confuse voters, delay election results, and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
“Elections should be easy for voters to understand and trust,” said Ken Cuccinelli, National Chairman of the Election Transparency Initiative. “Ranked choice voting introduces unnecessary complexity into the voting process, increasing the likelihood of voter error and reducing transparency in how outcomes are determined.”
Studies and real-world election data have shown that a notable percentage of ballots in RCV elections are “exhausted”—meaning they are discarded before the final round of counting because voters did not rank all candidates. This can result in outcomes where the winning candidate does not receive a majority of all ballots cast.
Additionally, RCV tabulation processes often require multiple rounds of counting, sometimes delaying final results and making it more difficult for voters to follow how winners are determined.
The Albuquerque decision also aligns with a broader trend of legal and policy scrutiny. Courts and policymakers in multiple states have raised constitutional and practical concerns about ranked choice voting systems. Most recently, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court issued an advisory opinion reinforcing constitutional limits on the use of RCV in certain elections.
“Albuquerque’s decision reflects a growing recognition nationwide that elections work best when voters can cast a ballot with confidence and understand exactly how it’s counted—ranked choice voting makes that harder, not easier,” Cuccinelli said.
As jurisdictions across the country evaluate election reforms, the Albuquerque City Council’s vote underscores a growing emphasis on straightforward, transparent, and easily understandable systems for voters.
Media Availability
ETI Chairman Ken Cuccinelli is available for interviews on ranked choice voting, state-level election reforms, and federal election integrity efforts. Members of the media may submit interview requests at: https://electiontransparency.org/contact/
About the Election Transparency Initiative
ETI works nationwide to advance commonsense election reforms that protect the integrity of the vote and strengthen public trust in election outcomes through policies that enhance transparency, accountability, and confidence in American elections. Ken Cuccinelli serves as National Chairman of ETI. He previously served as Acting Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and as Attorney General of Virginia.
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