What is ranked-choice voting and could it affect the 2028 election?
Ranked-choice voting (RCV) lets voters rank candidates by preference. A few states and cities use it for some elections, but the 2028 federal general election will not use RCV - it is decided by the Electoral College under existing rules.
Ranked-choice voting (RCV) is an electoral system in which voters rank candidates in order of preference (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.) rather than choosing just one. If no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the last-place candidate is eliminated and their votes redistributed to voters' second choices. This continues until a candidate has a majority.
Several U.S. states and cities use RCV for some elections. Alaska and Maine have used it in federal elections, including presidential general elections (Maine used it in 2020 and 2024). For 2028, RCV rules in those states would apply to the presidential contest there as well.
However, the overall winner of the 2028 presidential election is still determined by the Electoral College, not a national RCV system. A national ranked-choice presidential election would require a constitutional amendment or widespread state-level adoption coordinated with the Electoral College framework.
Proposals for national RCV are regularly discussed in reform circles, but none have advanced to the stage of serious legislative action as of mid-2026. For 2028, the vast majority of states will use traditional plurality voting for their presidential contests.
Related questions
Does RCV help third-party candidates?
Could a state switch to RCV before 2028?
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Related explainers
Unknown. As of June 2026, no major third-party candidacy has been announced. Third-party campaigns have been a feature of several recent elections; whether one emerges in 2028 depends on the major-party nominees and political conditions.
Each state gets electoral votes equal to its congressional seats. A candidate needs 270 of 538 to win. Voters choose slates of electors who then cast the official votes in December.
To register to vote for the 2028 United States presidential election, go to vote.gov and follow the link to your state's official registration portal before your state's deadline. Then vote one of three ways: in person on Election Day (November 7, 2028), in person during early voting, or by mail/absentee. Registration is handled by each state, so check your state's deadline and rules before you vote.
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