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Ranked-choice voting expands in Utah this year. See if your city is doing it.

Salt Lake City and 22 other municipalities will try out this new type of election in 2021.

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Voters get checked in to pick up their ballots at the Center-Point Church in Orem, on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020. Nearly two dozen Utah cities will be doing ranked-choice voting this year.

Salt Lake City and nearly two dozen other Utah municipalities have joined a pilot program for ranked-choice voting in this year’s municipal elections.

Ranked-choice voting, which recently grabbed national headlines when it was used in New York City’s mayoral race, means ballots will include a list of multiple candidates. Voters then will rank the list in their order of preference. Advocates of the system say it eliminates the need for a primary election, saves municipalities money, and results in a shorter and more civil campaign season.

Here are the Utah cities and town that will hold ranked-choice elections this year:

  • Bluffdale.
  • Cottonwood Heights.
  • Draper.
  • Elk Ridge.
  • Genola.
  • Goshen.
  • Heber City.
  • Lehi.
  • Magna Metro Township.
  • Midvale.
  • Millcreek.
  • Moab.
  • Newton.
  • Nibley.
  • Payson.
  • River Heights.
  • Riverton.
  • Salt Lake City.
  • Sandy.
  • South Salt Lake.
  • Springville.
  • Vineyard.
  • Woodland Hills.

    • Municipal general elections are Nov. 2. Those wanting to run for offices such as mayor and city council seats in cities with ranked-choice elections must declare their candidacies between Aug. 10 and Aug. 17.

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