Annapolis City Council Considers Ranked Choice Voting for Future Elections
The bill is sponsored by Aldermen Harry Huntley and Rob Savidge; Annapolis would be the second municipality in Maryland to use ranked choice voting.
Annapolis, MD (July 28, 2025) – Ranked Choice Voting Maryland (RCV Maryland), a nonpartisan, statewide organization dedicated to fair representation and voter choice, celebrates the introduction of Bill O-35-25, Ranked-Choice Voting in Annapolis City Elections by Aldermen Harry Huntley and Rob Savidge.
The legislation modifies existing election code to use ranked choice voting for primary, general, and special elections for the City of Annapolis, beginning in 2029. This includes elections for mayor, city council, and party central committees. Full bill details are available online.
Ranked choice voting (RCV), also known as instant runoff voting, is a proven voting method that allows voters to rank candidates in their order of preferences. RCV is in use in more than 50 jurisdictions across the United States, and over 14 million voters participated in ranked choice elections in 2024. Annapolis would become the second municipality in Maryland using ranked choice voting. The City of Takoma Park has used RCV since 2007.
“Ranked choice voting would give Annapolis voters more power and more choice,” said Alderman Harry Huntley, Ward 1. “Ranking candidates allows voters to better express their preferences without worrying their vote will be wasted. We will eliminate the need for strategic voting and encourage more people to run for office, so that elections better reflect the community.”
Chartered municipalities in Maryland have full control over their local election laws. The City utilizes state voting equipment for its municipal elections and the equipment is capable of producing, scanning, and storing RCV ballot data. The bill authorizes the Board of Supervisors of Elections to use a federally-tested, open source software to tabulate the ballots.
“Ranked choice voting is not just good for Annapolis, it’s a step towards saving American democracy,” said Alderman Rob Savidge, Ward 7. “RCV ensures that those who win, win with a majority of the votes, helping to build unity even after hotly contested races. The City can implement RCV with best practices from regional and state examples, so we have a clear roadmap to simple and effective implementation with our current voting systems."
In a ranked choice voting election, candidates win with a majority of votes, rather than a plurality. Past elections in the city have featured multiple candidates running for office. Three of the past 8 mayoral races have had a non-majority outcome with split votes among the Democratic, Republican, and unaffiliated (e.g. independent) candidates. Advocates contend that ranked choice voting would better support voters in expressing their preference in competitive elections.
“Annapolis is taking an important step forward for the city and for all Marylanders,” said Michelle Whittaker, Executive Director of RCV Maryland. “Recent studies and exit polls in RCV cities show that voters overwhelmingly understand and like ranked choice voting. Ranked choice voting is about empowering voters and increasing engagement. We are excited to work with the city as they explore implementation and voter education opportunities.”
A public hearing for Bill O-35-25 is expected in early September. The bill will be referred to the Annapolis Board of Supervisors of Elections and the Rules and City Government Committee.