Letter: Acton voted for Ranked Choice Voting last year. Why can’t we use it?

Acton overwhelmingly passed a Ranked Choice Voting home rule petition at last year’s May 1 Town Meeting. Rep. Gouveia filed it and ours became the 4th RCV Bill in line for the attention of the Joint Committee on Election Laws (other petitions filed by Amherst, Arlington and Northampton). The Committee did not take up any of the four bills in 2022.

Kudos to our State Representatives Cataldo and Gentile for refiling (as Bill H.664) immediately this winter. Yet, unless we remind Beacon Hill of our desire to practice this more democratic way to vote, it could languish in 2023 with the others and require ANOTHER town meeting vote!

This is a no-brainer: 

• Acton election officials researched RCV
• The Acton Select Board and League of Women Voters endorsed RCV
• Acton voters overwhelmingly passed RCV May 1, 2022, and allocated the minimal funds to implement

It is “the will of the people.”

Please remind Beacon Hill that Acton is waiting – and watching.

Contact the Joint Committee on Election Laws:

Senate Chair [email protected] – (617) 722-1494

House Chair [email protected] – (617) 722-2460

Member [email protected] – (617) 722-1120

and ask them to pass: Acton’s RCV Bill (H.664) and MA Local Options Bill (S.433) to do away with this unnecessary step (filed by Sen. Rausch and Rep. Pignatelli).

Give Acton “more choices – more voices.” It takes a village— our village.

Kate Kavanagh

Old Bedford Road