In South Salt Lake, voters are encouraged to review the process for Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) as ballots may appear slightly different from previous election cycles and neighboring municipalities not utilizing RCV. 

Instead of a single-choice, winner-takes-all voting system, Ranked Choice Voting allows for a different methodology to be used when tabulating votes. Each voter's first preference for candidate is recorded initially. If a single candidate receives over 50% of the vote, they are announced as the winner. 

If no candidate reaches 51%, a clear majority, then the candidate with the least votes is eliminated. Those who voted for the eliminated candidate would then see their votes assigned to their second choice. After those votes are redistributed based on second preference, the candidate with over 50% of the vote wins. If there is not a clear majority again, phasing continues until there is. An example is detailed below.

For voters, Salt Lake County recommends not ranking a candidate more than once. In other words, listing one candidate for first, second and third choice will not benefit the candidate in any way. 

How ranked choice voting would work:

• Voter ranks candidates A, B and C for first, second and third place. Jane Doe ranks her votes in this order – C, A, B. 
• If no candidate reaches 51% then whoever is in third place would be eliminated. For example: candidate A is 40%, B is 35% and C is 25%, then candidate C would be eliminated. 
• Since Jane Doe’s candidate C was eliminated, her vote would then go to A, her second choice. 
• This process would occur until a candidate reaches a majority.