Join the Naperville RCV Movement Donate to support RCV for Naperville

Naperville is a thriving and diverse community, but its voters deserve better local elections, and FairVote Illinois Action is helping them get there. Volunteers are currently gathering signatures to get a binding ranked choice voting referendum placed on the March 2026 ballot. Follow our petition tracker to see our progress.

Goal: 7000 signatures

How Will RCV Bring Fairness to Naperville Elections?

  • Ensures majority winners

    Naperville is a diverse and politically active community, and voters often have many choices for its city council offices. But the current plurality system means candidates often win office with minimal community support. RCV gives us the true majority preference, all in one election.

  • More positive campaigning

    Candidates need to appeal to a broader coalition of voters to compete for second- and third-choice votes. It’s been shown that RCV promotes civil campaigns, encouraging candidates to focus more on their own qualifications and ideas for the community.

  • More choice, more voice

    Plurality voting can make it difficult to choose among ideologically similar candidates, leading to vote splitting and victories for candidates who are not supported by the majority of voters. RCV eliminates vote splitting – voters are free to rank as many candidates as they like, encouraging more candidates to run.

  • Eliminates "wasted" votes

    RCV empowers voters to vote with their hearts and their heads and not worry about whether their favorite candidate can actually win. By ranking candidates, voters won’t have to choose between candidates they truly believe in and those who are polling well. You’re also free to rank as many candidates as you like; subsequent rankings will never hurt your first choice.

  • Promotes diverse candidates

    RCV makes it easier for women and candidates of color to run for office and win without feeling like they are acting as “spoilers,” taking votes away from other candidates. And that will better reflect the village, with candidates representing diverse backgrounds, demographics and political viewpoints.

  • Ensures proportional representation

    Naperville elects council members in multiwinner races, so these offices will use proportional RCV. Because the city council represents Naperville at large, it is important that those elected represent the viewpoints of all members of the community. Proportional RCV is designed to make sure all significant constituencies are represented.

RCV in Naperville is supported by:

  • Diane Hewitt

    Lisle Township President

If your group would like to be added to our list of supporters, please email our Statewide Organizer, Rebecca Williams.

Here's how it works

  1. First, voters fill out a ballot.

    Instead of marking one candidate, you rank the candidates in order of preference (1st choice, 2nd choice, and so on).

  2. Next, the votes are counted.

    If a candidate has more than 50% of the first choice votes, they win just like any other election. But if no candidate has enough votes to win, we move on to the next step.

  3. The losing candidate is eliminated, and their votes redistributed.

    The candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and voters who ranked that candidate as their first choice have their votes transferred to their second choice. The votes are then retallied to see if a candidate has earned a majority.

  4. A winner is chosen.

    The process repeats until a candidate has enough votes to win. This way, everyone gets a say, and no one feels like their voice wasn't heard.