Civility in Ranked-Choice Voting Elections: Does Evidence Fit the Normative Narrative?

We test if ranked choice voting (RCV) was associated with civil campaigns. For RCV to meet proponents’ expectations about civility in campaigns, candidates would moderate attacks and appeal for second place rankings. Candidates voters were surveyed US cities using similar plurality elections assess differences campaigning. Additional data collected from the 2021 New York City mayoral primary. find subtle campaigning reported by jurisdictions. asking support themselves other non-RCV contests. contests more likely report groups telling multiple candidates, perceive tone of campaigns as positive. However, latter result did not extend frontrunner candidates. As voters, one-third made appeals third rankings, viewed less negative. Supporters an NYC candidate who had a rival directing preferences their preferred also campaign This evidence only partly fits normative narrative, suggesting limits how much may foster civility.