Many may not realize it, but one of the largest scale implementations of ranked choice voting (RCV) can be found in Hollywood. The 2025 Oscars, which have been delayed by the wildfires sweeping across Los Angeles, is a notable example of how to effectively use RCV. Let’s explore how RCV is used by the Oscars and how this system can be used in our own local and national elections.
The Oscars, or Academy Awards, is an annual awards show celebrating achievements in cinema with awards given in twenty four categories. Films are nominated to the Oscars and the awards are voted on by the members of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. There are 10,000 plus members mostly from the film industry but also professionals in other related fields. Nominations tend to be from those in similar careers, for example a director would nominate another director. However, all members are permitted to vote in the process.
The way RCV works is through a system of multiple rounds in order to ensure that the winner selected has received a majority of the votes. For example, if you had 4 choices for Best Picture, you would rank the movies in order of your top choice to your last choice. The first round of voting would check every voter’s top choice, if one of the films received over 50% of the vote that film would be selected as Best Picture. However, if no film received a majority of the vote, the second round would commence. In the second round, anyone who voted for the film with the least votes would then have their second choice be considered and those votes would be distributed to the other films. This process would repeat itself until one of the films receives above 50% of the total vote ensuring that more voices are heard in the process.
The use of RCV in the Oscars has resulted in a better understanding of the system and its worth considering whether this could be a better way to run state and national elections. RCV has resulted in a more diverse range of candidates when applied not only at the Oscars, but in politics. Candidates that may have otherwise not been able to transcend party politics have been able to gain more votes and help get more voices on the ballot.
If you’re interested in seeing RCV on your ballot, CLICK HERE to sign our petition to support ranked-choice voting enabling legislation in New Jersey.
SOURCES:
- Oscars Voting Explainer:
- Fair Vote Oscars 2025
- Academy Award Britannica
- PBS Oscars Explainer
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