RCV EDUCATIONAL TOOLBOX

Welcome to the Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) Educational Toolbox: What You Need to Know to Understand, Administer, and Implement. The toolbox is a series of online lessons that are customizable, educational, and user-friendly. The educational toolbox is presented as a component of the Ranked Choice Voting Resource Center (RCVRC) – a content-rich repository of RCV information. In order to reach the diverse audiences interested in learning about RCV, this course has been designed in a format so that you will be able to tailor specifically to your needs by focusing on the lessons that apply to your interest in learning about RCV.

The course is centered around a municipality, “Choiceland,” which has passed a measure to begin using RCV in the next mayoral election. The course focuses on how the voters, election administrators, policymakers, and candidates prepared for the implementation of RCV.

The educational toolbox consists of a set of five RCV lessons created to be viewed as a slideshow presentation. In order to get the most out of your educational experience, each lesson includes a workbook with more detailed information on that topic and is designed as a companion piece to the presentations.

LESSON 1: INTRODUCTION TO RCV

Objectives:

To provide a historical perspective on RCV.
To identify voting methods that use RCV.
To illustrate RCV’s widespread use around the world and in the United States.

DOWNLOAD LESSON 1 SLIDES

DOWNLOAD LESSON 1 WORKBOOK

LESSON 2: HOW RCV WORKS

Objectives:

To understand how using RCV differs from traditional voting methods.
To understand how voters execute a ranked choice ballot.
To understand the benefits of using RCV.

DOWNLOAD LESSON 2 SLIDES

DOWNLOAD LESSON 2 WORKBOOK

LESSON 3: MARKING THE RCV BALLOT

Objectives:

To illustrate the correct marking of an RCV ballot.
To explain the voter’s options in marking an RCV ballot.
To alert the voter to the incorrect marking of an RCV ballot.

DOWNLOAD LESSON 3 SLIDES

DOWNLOAD LESSON 3 WORKBOOK

LESSON 4: HOW RCV BALLOTS ARE COUNTED

Objectives:

To understand how to employ uniform counting standards.
To identify key roles and responsibilities in tallying votes.
To explain the initial tabulation of votes.
To illustrate the steps taken during the second and subsequent rounds of counting.

DOWNLOAD LESSON 4 SLIDES

DOWNLOAD LESSON 4 WORKBOOK

LESSON 5: PLANNING FOR RCV IMPLEMENTATION

Objectives:

To outline the components to be considered in developing an implementation plan.
To provide information about implementing RCV that will serve as a guide to resources, training, and voter outreach required.
To facilitate identifying obstacles to implementing RCV.

DOWNLOAD LESSON 5 SLIDES

DOWNLOAD LESSON 5 WORKBOOK

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I use the Educational Toolbox?: You may view all five lessons or select the topics that apply to your interest in learning about RCV. If you are new to RCV, we recommend using all five lessons. If you have questions at the end of the lessons, we're here to answer your questions and provide support. You can use the Contact Us button at the bottom of this page to get in touch.
What is the workbook?: The workbook content is based on the municipality of “Choiceland,” which has passed a measure to begin using RCV. The workbook is designed to complement the information in the slideshow presentations. Each workbook lesson corresponds to a presentation. For example, Lesson 1 in both the PowerPoint slides and the workbook is “Introduction to Ranked Choice Voting.”
Can I download the presentation?: Yes, each lesson's PowerPoint slides and workbook are downloadable and may be printed as needed.