In Indiana, we strive for fair and honest elections that reflect what the majority want.
That is why it is of the utmost importance we ensure the voting process is clear and simple, and that voters know who they are casting their vote for.
In order to ensure our elections remain fair and honest, I co-authored Senate Bill 12, which would prohibit the use of ranked choice voting in Indiana.
Under ranked choice voting, voters rank candidates in order of preference, with the candidate who receives the majority of first-preference votes winning the election. If no majority is reached, the candidate with the fewest first-preference votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed to the other candidates.
The ranked choice system is confusing, and ranking all the candidates could ultimately be a vote against a person's preferred candidate. Because voters are not required to rank every candidate, ranked choice voting also risks leading to ballot exhaustion, where someone's vote is no longer counted because all the candidates a voter chose have been eliminated from the contest.
Ranked choice voting has already been prohibited in 17 other states. This bill would make Indiana the 18th state to do so, ensuring voters' voices are being heard.
I will continue to strive to ensure our elections are as fair and easy-to-understand as possible. I look forward to working with constituents and my fellow lawmakers on this bill.
As always, I encourage constituents to reach out to me with any questions or concerns by filling out a "Contact Me" form on the IndianaSenateRepublicans.com/Raatz website or by calling my office at 800-382-9467.
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State Sen. Jeff Raatz (R-Richmond) represents Senate District 27, which includes
Henry, Union and Wayne counties, and portions of Franklin County.
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THE RAATZ ROUNDUP
Submitted for use on Jan 21, 2026
Word Count: 279
