Denver City Council Quietly Advances Ranked-Choice Voting Amid Nationwide Socialist Surge
Denver, CO – In a move largely unreported by Colorado media, the Denver City Council advanced a proposal to add ranked-choice voting (RCV) to the November ballot in Denver. The council avoided using the term "Ranked Choice Voting" in the official title, instead referring to it as "Instant Runoff Voting in Municipal Elections." The presentation materials were also not available when the weekly City Council schedule was sent out, which may have contributed to no one testifying against ranked-choice voting before the committee. The Finance & Governance Committee passed the rank-choice voting proposal 4 to 3 on July 15, and it will now be scheduled to proceed to a full City Council vote on August 4 to determine if it will be placed on the November ballot.
Proponents tout rank-choice voting as a way to increase voter turnout and eliminate the costs associated with runoff elections. Yet, recent election results have shown that it could open the doors to ideologically extreme candidates, as evidenced by the recent outcomes in New York City and Minneapolis, where the system has propelled democratic socialists into presumptive mayoral election winners.
If the measure makes the ballot and is passed by voters this November, it would reshape Denver's municipal elections starting in 2027. Council members Shontel M. Lewis and Darrell Watson presented the rank-choice voting bill to committee, declaring it will save money, increase engagement—especially among younger voters—and reduce the influence of low-turnout runoffs. Parady, an at-large council member endorsed by the Denver chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), and her colleague, Shontel Lewis, who represents District 8, share similar ties to the DSA.
Advocates of rank-choice voting often promise it will foster moderation by allowing voters to support third-party or centrist candidates without "wasting" their vote, potentially sidelining extremists who thrive in polarized primaries. However, real-world examples paint a far more worrisome picture, particularly in cities with established RCV systems. In New York City, where rank-choice voting was adopted for primaries in 2021, Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani has clinched the Democratic nomination for Mayor, defeating moderate Andrew Cuomo in an election upset that has ignited fears that socialist policies would decimate New York City's standing as the financial epicenter of the world.
Similarly, in Minneapolis—home to rank-choice voting since 2009—the system has fueled a frightening leftward spiral, culminating in this weekend's chaotic DFL convention, where incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey was ousted from the party endorsement by democratic socialist challenger Omar Fateh. Fateh, a state senator pushing aggressive socialist agendas such as rent freezes, rapid minimum wage hikes, defunding the police, and refusing to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, now holds the Minnesota State Democratic Party's endorsement for Mayor.
In Denver, the council's progressive faction sees rank-choice voting as aligning with their goals of equity and justice. But detractors, including those wary of statewide RCV efforts like the failed Proposition 131 last year, fear it could mirror the rapid transformations in NYC and Minneapolis by empowering a socialist wing of the Democratic party. Additional roadblocks for Denver include that there is no timeline for the system to handle the election or audit the two at-large city council seats, the cost of voter education efforts to the city budget, and the significant problems that RCV in Portland encountered.
As the council prepares for its vote, Denver voters may soon decide whether ranked-choice voting represents democratic innovation or a risky experiment that invites chaos. With the city's political landscape already heavily leaning left, the outcome could redefine power in the Mile High City—and not for the better.
