Understanding Ranked Choice Voting and NYC Mayoral Primary Election Timeline

Ranked Choice Voting Explained

• 🗳️ Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) is a new system for New York City primaries designed to avoid costly runoff elections.
• 💡 Previously, if no candidate secured over 50% of the vote, a separate runoff election was held, costing taxpayers millions.
• ✅ RCV allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, creating an 'instant runoff' without a separate election.

Why Election Results Take Time

• ⏳ While an unofficial tally will be available on election night, final results may take up to a month.
• 📬 This delay is due to the need to count mail-in ballots, including those from military personnel and residents outside New York.
• ✍️ Additionally, ballots from voters in senior homes who ordered absentee ballots must be processed.
• 🔍 New York law prohibits counting mail-in ballots until Election Day, further extending the timeline.

Recounts and Affidavit Ballots

• 📊 In cases of very close margins (0.5% or less), a manual recount of at least 3% of ballot booths is required.
• 📝 Voters whose names are not on the poll books can cast an affidavit ballot, which also requires manual counting.

Ensuring Election Integrity

• 🤝 The process involves bipartisan teams of election workers (Republicans and Democrats) overseeing ballot counting to ensure accuracy and prevent fraud.
• 📣 Voters are encouraged not to lose faith in the process, even with potential delays or issues, and to prioritize voting.
• ⚠️ High turnout is expected, which can further complicate and extend the counting process.