Using Ranked-choice voting, voters mark their ballots in order of preference – 1st choice, 2nd choice, 3rd choice, and so on. (Some voters don’t vote for a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th choice, which disenfranchises and “Exhausts” their votes).
When electing a single candidate, first choices are tallied. If a candidate wins a majority among the first-choice votes, that candidate is the winner. (A candidate needs to receive 51% of the total votes).
If not, the candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated. (Voters who voted for this candidate have their votes “Exhausted”) The second choices from those ballots are then added to the remaining candidates. (Minus and Exhausted Ballots) This process continues until one candidate receives a majority of the final votes. (Exhausting voters votes and tabulating votes on the remaining ballots)
Reince Priebus: 'If you can't control the rules of the game, you can't win'
Former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus breaks down the ranked-choice voting system on 'Sunday Night in America.'