Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas Announces Upcoming Virtual Forums on Ranked Choice Voting

April 10 2024

Montpelier, VT – Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas announced today a two-part series of virtual forums which her office will co-host with the League of Women Voters of Vermont (LWVVT) to discuss Ranked Choice Voting (RCV). As interest has grown in RCV, in the state legislature and among municipalities, interest groups and voters, the Secretary and LWVVT hope these discussions will inform the debate and raise the profile of this system of voting.

“Ranked Choice Voting is a new and powerful way of choosing our leaders, and we know that Vermont legislators will be considering RCV legislation next session,” said Secretary Copeland Hanzas. “I wanted to work with the League of Women Voters to bring the public, stakeholders, and experts together to discuss, learn, and explore it as the legislative work continues.”

The first forum is scheduled for Wednesday, May 1^st, from 7:00-8:30pm on Zoom. This session will offer an overview of Ranked Choice Voting, covering key concepts and presenting a simulation for participants to engage in to better understand what RCV is and how it works. Experts from the Ranked Choice Voting Resource Center will guide the session.

The second forum will take place on Wednesday, May 8^th, from 7:00-8:30pm on Zoom. This session will dive into the details of administering RCV elections in Vermont, featuring Burlington Assistant City Clerk Sarah Montgomery and Brattleboro Town Clerk Hilary Francis.

“We are excited to be co-hosting these events with Secretary Copeland Hanzas,” said Sue Racanelli, President of the League of Women Voters of Vermont. “These forums are another chance for us to continue the League’s work on RCV and encourage informed and active participation in government here in Vermont.”

The Vermont Secretary of State and the League of Women Voters will be promoting the forums in the coming weeks. Please register here for the May 1^st forum and here for the May 8^th forum. Questions for the panelists about RCV can be submitted in advance to bkeller@lwvofvt.org.