This is the fourth article in the League of Women Voters Minneapolis 2025 Democracy Series
On November 4 this year Minneapolis voters will head to the polls for critical municipal elections. Important city offices will be on the ballot: the city’s next mayor, all city council members, park district commissioners, at-large members of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, and representatives on the Board of Estimation and Taxation.
To vote in Minnesota, you need to be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 on Election Day, and have lived in the state for 20 days. You can’t be in prison for a felony or under a court order that takes away your right to vote. Minnesota makes voting easy with same-day registration—so you can show up, sign up, and cast your ballot all at once — just be sure to provide proof of your identity and residence within the precinct.
With so many races on the ballot and the implementation of ranked-choice voting (RCV), it’s essential to understand how the system works and why it matters to your vote. RCV can initially feel confusing, especially if you are not familiar with the process. Since RCV is only utilized in the Minneapolis municipal elections, you may be encountering it for the first time. Once you understand it, you’ll be better equipped to make your choices and ensure your vote is counted.
Each year, ballots are rejected due to being improperly marked, so you will want to know how to accurately rank your candidates. Understanding RCV will allow you to participate in the democratic process as a more informed and confident voter.
What is Ranked-Choice Voting?
Ranked-choice voting is a voting system that allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. If there are more than two candidates on the ballot, you have the option to choose your first, second and third choice. Of course, you can still vote for just one candidate if you prefer. In Minneapolis, voters can rank up to three candidates. This is especially important in this fall’s election where you will find many candidates on the ballot vying for the same position.
One of the strengths of ranked-choice voting is that it encourages candidates to reach beyond their core supporters. Since winning often depends on earning second- or third-choice votes, candidates are motivated to build broader, more inclusive coalitions. This results in outcomes that more accurately reflect the will of the majority not just on single issues, but across a wider range of voter priorities. Ranking preferences encourages voters to take a closer look at multiple candidates and pushes candidates to reach beyond their core base to appeal to a broader electorate.
What makes RCV different?
Ranked-choice voting gives you more influence over the outcome by allowing you to rank multiple candidates. In traditional voting, if your favorite candidate doesn’t win, your vote could feel “wasted” or lost. But with RCV, if your top choice is eliminated, your second or even third choice will still be counted. This means a candidate who started in second place could ultimately win by gaining more second- and third-choice votes and having actually appealed to more voters than the initial frontrunner who didn’t exceed the winning threshold. This ensures your voice continues to matter. It also removes the pressure to vote strategically for who you think can win, rather than who you truly support.
Ranked-choice voting also transforms how candidates campaign, often resulting in more positive and inclusive messaging. Since candidates benefit not only from being ranked first, but also from earning second- and third-choice votes, they must gain support beyond their base and appeal to a broader range of voters. As a result, candidates are less likely to attack opponents harshly. Winning over their supporters—even as a second or third choice—can be essential to securing victory.
Why was RCV introduced?
In Minneapolis, voters approved the adoption of RCV through a city charter amendment in 2006. The system was first implemented in the 2009 city elections. RCV was adopted to save the city and taxpayers money by eliminating costly primary elections and runoffs, increase voter turnout, and promote fairer representation by better reflecting voter preferences.
How does RCV work?
Let’s work through an instance where only one person can win. For example, while multiple candidates will be on the ballot for mayor, only one of these candidates can win.
On Election Day, you rank your preferred candidates if there are more than two candidates on the ballot. Ranked-choice voting allows you to select up to three candidates for each office, ranking them as your first, second and third choices. You are not required to rank more than one candidate and can also choose not to vote at all in any given race. However, using RCV increases the likelihood that your voice will be heard if your top choice is eliminated.
If there is a clear winner – that is, if one candidate receives a vote count above the 50% threshold – the race is called and a winner is declared. If no candidate reaches this threshold the counting moves to a second round where the candidate with the fewest first choice votes and those with no mathematical chance of winning are eliminated. Voters who selected the eliminated candidates have their second choice votes transferred to their next preferred candidate and the votes are counted again. This redistribution continues until one candidate obtains a majority and wins more than 50% of the votes.
In races with multiple seats open and where more than one candidate can be elected, the threshold for victory changes and the process of distributing second and third choice votes is different. In addition to redistributing the votes of the candidates that have been eliminated, the second votes of the first winning candidate are distributed to the remaining candidates to determine the second winner.
When one candidate is declared the winner, the winning threshold is 50% plus one vote. If two candidates are declared winners, the winning threshold is 33 ⅓ % plus one vote. If three candidates can win, the winning threshold is 25% plus one vote.
Additional information for voters
In addition to the information to help you understand how RCV works in our upcoming election, here is some additional information to assist you in voting this fall. An additional resource is the Minneapolis election website vote.minneapolismn.gov.
Registration: If you are not registered to vote or have changed your address since the last election, you can register online, register using a paper application, or register to vote on election day at your polling place. For all the information you need to register to vote go to sos.mn.gov/elections-voting/register-to-vote.
Voting: There are multiple ways to cast your ballot in November. You can vote at your polling place on election day, November 4. Not sure where to vote? Go to this link to find your polling location: pollfinder.sos.mn.gov.
You can vote before November 4, using a mail-in ballot or by voting in person at the city’s early voting site, 980 E Hennepin Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55414. This link provides detailed information for early voters: vote.minneapolismn.gov/voters/vote-early-in-person/.
If you want to vote early through the mail, the recommended deadline to apply for a ballot is October, 28. You can apply for a ballot at vote.minneapolismn.gov/voters/vote-by-mail/#d.en.92732. Your mail-in ballots need to arrive by 8 p.m. on November 4 or be dropped off in person by 5 p.m. on election day at 980 E Hennepin Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55414.
Become an informed voter
The League of Women Voters Minneapolis provides information about the candidates running for mayor, city council, park board, and board of estimate and taxation. The Minneapolis League sponsors public forums for local candidates. This is an opportunity for you to hear directly from the candidates. You can find when and where the forums are being held at the League’s website: lwvmpls.org/voting-elections/. If you can’t attend a forum, no problem, the League of Women Minneapolis posts unedited videos of the forums on its website.
You can also gather information on candidates by searching VOTE 411 (vote411.org/ballot). This site is sponsored by the League of Women Voters Education Fund to provide voter information tailored by each state.
One additional resource is 311 -the Minneapolis Election and Voter services phone help line.
Looking Ahead
Minneapolis has been a leader in electoral innovation through its adoption of ranked-choice voting for municipal elections. Minnesota has made registering to vote and voting itself easy and safe for its citizens.
Remember: your VOTE is your VOICE and every eligible voter has the right to be heard. Democracy depends on it. Learn more at lwvmpls.org.