rcv123.org

RCV123 runs ranked choice voting (RCV) by letting voters rank candidates in order of preference, then counting in rounds until one option has a majority. If no candidate wins a majority in the first round, the lowest-ranked candidate is eliminated and those ballots move to the voter's next choice. RCV123 provides an RCV calculator to automate this multi-round count, and the site also publishes pros and cons of RCV for reference. This suits any group decision — an election, a poll, or a general group choice — where you want a single winner without a separate runoff.

The core mechanics of ranked choice voting

Ranked choice voting changes two things compared to a simple plurality vote:

• The ballot: instead of picking one candidate, each voter orders candidates by preference (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and so on).
• The count: votes are counted in rounds rather than once.

The counting logic works like this:

1. First round: count every ballot's first-choice candidate.
2. Majority check: if one candidate has more than half of the votes, that candidate wins and counting stops.
3. Elimination: if no one has a majority, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated.
4. Transfer: every ballot whose top remaining choice was the eliminated candidate moves to that voter's next preferred candidate still in the race.
5. Repeat: return to the majority check and repeat until a candidate crosses the majority threshold.

This is why RCV is sometimes described as an "instant runoff" — it produces the same effect as a runoff election without requiring voters to come back a second time.

A concrete example

Suppose three candidates — A, B, and C — and 100 voters:

In round 1, C has the fewest votes, so C is eliminated. The 25 ballots that ranked C first move to their next choice. If those 25 voters all ranked B second, B jumps to 60 and wins. If they split differently, the count would continue.

How RCV123 handles the count

RCV123's role is to remove the manual work from this process. According to the site, it offers an RCV calculator that performs the round-by-round counting automatically, so you don't have to transfer ballots by hand. The site also lists tools for setting up a ballot, uploading a spreadsheet, and importing from Google Classroom & Forms, along with instructions and an FAQ.

For a group running a decision, the practical flow is:

1. Set up the ballot — define the candidates or options voters will rank.
2. Collect votes — voters submit their rankings.
3. Run the count — the RCV calculator applies the elimination-and-transfer logic across rounds.
4. Review the result — see which option reached a majority and how the rounds played out.

The site describes itself as a non-profit focused on ranked choice voting education, and its stated purpose is to make it easy for organizations to conduct secure RCV elections.

When RCV is a good fit — and when it isn't

RCV123 itself publishes pros and cons of RCV, which is worth reading before committing. As a general guide:

RCV tends to fit well when:

• You have three or more candidates or options.
• You want to avoid a separate runoff election.
• You want the winner to reflect broader support rather than a split plurality.
• Voters can reasonably express a preference order among the options.

RCV may be less suitable when:

• There are only two options (a simple majority vote is enough).
• Voters are unlikely to understand or complete a ranking.
• The group needs a fast, single-round tally and ranking adds unnecessary complexity.

FAQ

Do I need an account? The site offers a "Set up ballot" path and also a sign-in option to "track your ballots and access all features." So you can start setting up a ballot, while an account is presented as the way to access tracking and the full feature set.

Is it only for formal elections? No. The site states RCV can be used for "any election, poll or group decision," so it applies to informal group choices as well as structured elections.

What does the calculator actually do? It automates the multi-round count: first-choice tally, majority check, elimination of the lowest candidate, and transfer of those ballots to the next preference — repeating until a majority is reached.

You can run a ranked choice voting (RCV) election or poll on RCV123.org by setting up a ballot, sharing it with voters, tracking ballots as they come in, and then using the vote counting tools to see results. This works for any election, poll, or group decision, and RCV123 describes itself as a non-profit focused on ranked choice voting education that makes it easy for organizations to conduct secure RCV elections. You don't need an account to set up a ballot, but signing in (or creating a free account) is what lets you track your ballots and access all features.

Before you start

Decide two things first:

• What you're deciding — a candidate election, a poll, or a group decision. RCV123 supports all three.
• Who votes and how — a shared link that anyone can open, or a more controlled setup where you import a specific voter list.

If you want ballot tracking and the full feature set, plan to sign in or create a free account. If you just want to try a quick poll, you can start from "Set up ballot" without one.

Step 1: Set up the ballot

1. Go to RCV123.org and choose Set up ballot.
2. Add your candidates or options. These are the choices voters will rank.
3. Configure the ballot so it matches your decision — for example, how many rankings a voter can submit.

The expected result is a finished ballot you can share. If you're unsure how ranking should be presented to voters, RCV123 provides Sample ballots you can look at before finalizing yours.

Step 2 (optional): Build the ballot from a spreadsheet or Google Classroom

Instead of typing options by hand, you can bring them in:

• Spreadsheet upload — prepare your candidates/options in a spreadsheet and upload it.
• Google Classroom & Forms import — pull in a ballot from Google Classroom & Forms.

Use these when you already have your options or voter data in a structured file and want to avoid re-entering it. If your options are few and simple, manual setup is faster.

Step 3: Share the ballot and collect votes

Once the ballot exists, share its link so participants can vote. Voters rank the options in their order of preference rather than picking just one.

If you signed in, you can track your ballots and monitor progress as votes come in. This is the main reason to create an account: without it, you lose the tracking and full-feature access.

Step 4: Count the votes and read the results

When voting closes, use the vote counting feature to tally the rankings and produce the result. RCV123 also offers an RCV calculator, which is useful if you want to run the ranked choice math on its own — for example, to check a result or work through a set of rankings separately from a live ballot.

What RCV123 gives you at a glance

Common sticking points

• Skipping sign-in. You can set up a ballot without an account, but tracking ballots and accessing all features requires signing in or creating a free account. Decide this early so you don't lose tracking mid-election.
• Not checking a sample first. If your voters are new to ranking, review a Sample ballots example so the instructions you give them match what they'll actually see.
• Forgetting the counting step. Setting up and sharing the ballot doesn't produce a winner on its own — you still run the vote counting (or the RCV calculator) at the end.

If you want the background on how the ranking and counting actually work before you build anything, RCV123's Help, Instructions, and Frequently asked questions sections cover the method, and the site also discusses the pros and cons of RCV.

RCV123.org describes itself as a free, non-profit platform for running ranked choice voting (RCV) elections and polls, and its homepage states that it uses "secure voting methods." The site also states it is "Always free" and that it is a non-profit focused on ranked choice voting education. If you want to confirm the specifics of data handling and security before trusting it with a real election, the site provides Privacy and Terms & Conditions pages you can review directly.

What RCV123 says about itself

According to the site's own description, RCV123.org is:

• A non-profit for ranked choice voting education
• Free to use — the homepage states "Always free" and "Free Ranked Choice Voting for Everyone"
• Built for organizations — it says it makes it easy for organizations to conduct secure RCV elections
• Usable for any election, poll, or group decision

These are the platform's own claims, not independent verification. Treat them as the starting point for your own evaluation.

What "secure voting methods" means here

The homepage uses the phrase "secure voting methods" but does not spell out the technical details on the page excerpt available. If security is your deciding factor, check the site's Help, Instructions, and Frequently Asked Questions sections, plus the Privacy and Terms & Conditions pages, for specifics such as:

• How ballots are stored and whether they are encrypted
• Whether voter identity is verified and how
• Who can see individual ballots versus aggregate results
• How long data is retained

If those pages don't answer your questions, that gap itself is useful information for a high-stakes election.

Is it actually free?

The site states it is "Always free" and describes itself as a non-profit. The available page evidence does not list any pricing tiers, payment links, or paid plans. That said, "free" claims should be confirmed against the current Terms & Conditions, since terms can change and the excerpt only reflects what the homepage states.

How to decide whether to use it

Practical next steps

1. Go to rcv123.org and open the Privacy and Terms & Conditions pages.
2. Read the Help, Instructions, and Frequently Asked Questions sections for security and data-handling details.
3. If you need to track ballots and access all features, the site notes you can sign in or create a free account.
4. Run a small test poll first to see how ballot setup, voting, and counting behave before using it for anything important.

The bottom line: RCV123 presents itself as a free, non-profit RCV tool with secure voting methods, and it gives you the Privacy and Terms pages to check those claims yourself. Whether that's enough depends on how sensitive your election is — for casual polls it's likely fine, but for binding votes, verify the security details directly rather than relying on the homepage wording.

RCV123.org is a free online platform for running ranked choice voting (RCV) elections, polls, and group decisions. It is operated by a non-profit focused on ranked choice voting education, and it is designed so that organizations can set up and conduct secure RCV elections without paying for software. If you need to run a single election, a quick poll, or a recurring group decision and want ranked ballots rather than a simple plurality vote, RCV123 is built for that use case.

What RCV123 does

The site centers on a few connected tasks:

• Set up a ballot — create the election or poll and define the choices voters will rank.
• Collect votes — voters rank the options rather than picking just one.
• Count the results — the platform handles the ranked-choice tally.
• Use the RCV calculator — a standalone tool for computing RCV outcomes.
• Import data — support for spreadsheet upload and Google Classroom & Forms import.
• Track ballots — signing in lets you track your ballots and access all features.

The stated purpose is to make it easy for organizations to conduct secure RCV elections, and the site frames the service as "Free Ranked Choice Voting for Everyone."

Who it is for

RCV123 targets any group that needs a collective decision:

• Organizations running internal elections or votes
• Groups polling members on a set of options
• Anyone who wants ranked choice voting instead of first-past-the-post
• Educators and others interested in RCV as a topic, since the operator is an education-focused non-profit

Because the platform is positioned as free and non-profit-run, cost is not presented as a barrier to entry. The site does not list pricing tiers or payment requirements in the material available; it describes the service as free and always free in its own title.

How to get started

1. Go to rcv123.org.
2. Choose Set up ballot if you want to run an election or poll.
3. Define your choices and configure the ballot.
4. Share it with voters so they can rank the options.
5. Use the counting tools to see the RCV result.

If you want to track ballots and reach the full feature set, sign in or create a free account. The site also offers sample ballots and a new-features section, which are useful for seeing how an RCV ballot looks before you build your own.

What to check before committing

• Account vs. no account — setting up a ballot appears available from the main page, but tracking ballots and accessing all features requires signing in. Decide whether you need tracking before you start.
• Import path — if your voter list or choices already live in a spreadsheet or Google Classroom/Forms, the import options may save setup time.
• RCV familiarity — if your voters have never ranked candidates, the site's education focus and sample ballots can help explain the process. The site also links to pros and cons of RCV, which is worth reading if you are deciding whether RCV fits your decision.

RCV123 is best understood as a free, non-profit-run tool for running ranked choice elections and polls end to end — setup, voting, and counting — with optional accounts for tracking and full features.

RCV123.org is a non-profit site for ranked choice voting (RCV) education that lets organizations run RCV elections and polls. Its core offering is a free RCV calculator and ballot setup tool, supported by instructions, FAQs, sample ballots, and background material on RCV. You can start a ballot without an account, but signing in or creating a free account is what lets you track ballots and access all features.

Core tools for running an election or poll

The site groups its main functions under a "Tools" area:

• Set up ballot — create an RCV election or poll for any election, poll, or group decision.
• RCV calculator — the counting engine that tallies ranked ballots.
• Spreadsheet upload — bring in ballot data from a spreadsheet rather than entering it manually.
• Google Classroom & Forms import — pull in participation from Google Classroom and Google Forms.
• Vote counting — run and review the tabulation of ranked choices.

The homepage frames the purpose directly: "Use RCV for any election, poll or group decision," and describes the organization as making it "easy for organizations to conduct secure RCV elections."

Supporting resources and reference material

Beyond the tools, RCV123 provides material to help you understand and run RCV correctly:

• Instructions — how-to guidance for setting up and running a ballot.
• Frequently asked questions — answers to common questions about the process.
• Sample ballots — example ballots you can look at before building your own.
• Pros and cons of RCV — background on the tradeoffs of ranked choice voting.
• Labs — an area for experimental or in-development work.
• New features — a running list of what has been added.
• About us — who runs the site and its non-profit mission.

Accounts, tracking, and access

You can set up a ballot without signing in, but the site separates basic use from full use:

The site describes itself as "Free Ranked Choice Voting for Everyone," and the source title states the RCV calculator is "Always free." The page does not list pricing tiers or payment options, so treat "free" as the stated positioning rather than a detailed pricing breakdown.

How to decide whether to register

• Register a free account if you need to track ballots over time or want the full feature set — the site explicitly ties tracking and "all features" to signing in.
• Skip registration for now if you just want to try the RCV calculator or set up a single ballot to see how it works.
• Check the Instructions and FAQ first if you are new to RCV, then look at a sample ballot before building your own.
• Review "Pros and cons of RCV" if you are deciding whether ranked choice voting fits your group's decision.

To get started, use "Set up ballot" from the top menu, and explore the menu bar to reach the tools and reference sections described above.