County clerks unanimously oppose ranked choice voting, urge Michigan voters to reject ballot measure

The Michigan Association of County Clerks unanimously voted to oppose a ballot measure seeking to establish ranked choice voting in Michigan, which is being put forth by Rank MI Vote for potential inclusion in the 2026 election.

The clerks cited concerns about timeliness of the certification of elections, confusion by voters and delays to any recounts or audits in their opposition to the measure.

“Michigan voters are used to knowing who won an election in a timely manner, so it’s incredibly important that we’re able to report accurate, unofficial results on election night,” said Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons in a press release from the association. “Determining a winner will take drastically longer under ranked-choice voting. Delayed results erode the public’s trust by fueling uncertainty and misinformation.”

Marquette County Clerk Linda Talsma, who chairs the association, also noted in the release that while they do not generally take positions on ballot measures, the bipartisan group of county officials felt it necessary to urge voters to reject the initiative in this case.



https://michiganadvance.com/2025/10/15/county-clerks-unanimously-oppose-ranked-choice-voting-urge-michigan-voters-to-reject-ballot-measure/