Michigan House Republicans Pass Ranked Choice Voting Ban

Michigan's House of Representatives, led by Republican State Rep. Rachelle Smit, passed House Bill 4707 to ban ranked choice voting (RCV) in the state, with all Republicans supporting and Democrats opposing the measure. Smit argued that RCV is confusing, costly, and undermines public trust by causing skepticism, recount battles, and disproportionately impacting minority voters. The legislation would prohibit the use of RCV in state and local elections, despite ongoing efforts by the Rank MI Vote campaign to introduce it through a constitutional amendment on the 2026 ballot. While Smit acknowledged that the ban could be overturned by voters, she emphasized the bill as a legislative stance to protect election integrity. Advocates for ranked choice voting view the ban as an attempt to suppress voter choice and election reform. The bill now proceeds to the Senate, where its fate is uncertain due to the Democratic majority.