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San José council votes to send ranked‑choice proposal to voters in 2028 primary after heated debate
Summary
Following extensive public comment for and against ranked‑choice voting, the council approved a motion to submit a charter amendment enabling single‑ballot ranked‑choice voting for special elections to the March 2028 primary by an 8–2 vote. Opponents flagged concerns about complexity and auditing; proponents cited cost savings and broader representation.
The San José City Council voted 8–2 on June 23 to move a proposed charter amendment allowing the council to use ranked‑choice voting (RCV) for single‑ballot special elections to the March 2028 primary ballot, following hours of public comment and council debate.
Councilor Davis Cohen, who led the item, framed the measure as an option for future councils to reduce the cost of special elections and give voters an additional choice. "This measure simply allows the voters to decide whether they want the option to use RCV in special elections," Cohen said during debate.
Public testimony split sharply. Supporters, including the Latino Coalition and youth advocates, said RCV would reduce the frequency and cost of running two‑round elections and could help elect more diverse candidates. Gabby Chávez López, executive director of the Silicon Valley Latino Coalition, told the council the method “elimina las barreras a la participación” and urged adoption.
Opponents — civic and academic critics — warned of complexity, auditing risks and implementation pitfalls. Amanda Mvllendorf said errors in other jurisdictions have raised legitimate concerns: "In 2022, the county of Alameda miscounted ranked‑choice ballots and changed the winner in an Oakland school board race," she said, urging consideration of alternatives.
Council deliberations focused on three tradeoffs: fiscal savings from avoiding two‑round special elections, the need for a robust voter‑education campaign, and the technical capacity for transparent counts and audits. Several council members said they preferred to let voters choose rather than bind the council to adopt RCV.
The adopted motion amended the original schedule and directed staff to bring back the resolution and informational memo adjusted to place the question on the March 2028 primary ballot to reduce marginal printing costs; the motion passed 8–2, with Vice Mayor Foley and Councilor Casey voting no.
Next steps: Staff will finalize ballot language and return to council with a revised informational memorandum and proposed resolution for the formal action required to put the measure on the 2028 primary ballot.
