Finding Common Ground
Why Consensus Choice Gives Every Voter an Equal Say
“Consensus Choice voting is the best way to allow all voters to have equal participation in the outcome.”
— Ned Foley, Better Choices Advisory Board member; the Charles W. & Florence W. Ebersold Chair in Constitutional Law; Director, Election Law at Ohio State University
Americans do not all want the same things. If we did, we would not need elections. We vote because we have different opinions about what matters and who should lead. The question is whether our rules treat those opinions fairly and help us choose leaders most people can live with.
Consensus Choice is designed to achieve these objectives. It takes every voter’s ranking into account, treats each preference equally, and finds the outcome with the broadest support across the electorate. In a time of polarization, that matters. Too often, rules reward candidates who fire up a base and write off everyone else. Consensus Choice creates the opposite incentive: build bridges, listen, and earn support from many different groups.
How it works in a nutshell
Voters rank the candidates first, second, third, and so on.
Compare candidates head to head. For each pair, count how many voters prefer one over the other.
Elect the candidate who wins the most matchups. This is the contender who can earn a majority in every comparison and who reflects broad agreement.
Report clear results. Publish the head-to-head table and margins so anyone can see who beat whom.
Why it works
Fairness: Every voter’s preference between any two candidates moves that matchup by exactly one vote. No one’s voice is discounted.
Accountability: Candidates must earn support beyond a narrow base, then live up to those appeals to keep it.
Representation: The winner reflects the broadest possible consensus for how to govern.
Fewer spoilers, more voice: Head-to-head comparisons reduce “split the vote” problems and make room for new ideas.
As Ned Foley puts it, in a world of polarization and division we need a basis for agreement. Consensus Choice helps communities find that common ground by giving everyone a meaningful say and rewarding candidates who bring people together rather than drive them apart.
