Reform explainer · The next step
More Choice Voting: what comes after open primaries
Last updated: November 13, 2026
More Choice Voting pairs an open, single-ballot primary with more than two finalists and a ranked choice general election.
The Primary Desk covers More Choice Voting as the second step after opening primaries. The Independent Voter Project uses the name for reforms such as top-four or top-five primaries followed by ranked choice voting, designed so that winners must earn broad support rather than survive a low-turnout partisan primary.
What is More Choice Voting and how does it work?
All candidates appear on one primary ballot open to every voter. Instead of two, the top four or five finishers advance. In November, voters rank those finalists in order of preference, and the winner is the candidate with the broadest support. Alaska adopted this kind of final-four system in 2020.
By the Independent Voter Project's count
The problem it targets: two choices is not much of a choice
In most American elections, voters face one Democrat and one Republican, and third-party and independent candidates struggle to reach ballots, debates, and coverage. The Independent Voter Project argues that this breeds complacency: representatives need only enough partisan votes to survive a low-turnout primary.
The 2026 numbers show how little competition many primaries offer. Ballotpedia found just 22.1% of possible primaries were contested this year.
How More Choice Voting works, step by step
- Every candidate runs on one open primary ballot.
- Every registered voter takes part, with no party enrollment required.
- The top four or five finishers advance to November.
- Voters rank the finalists in order of preference.
- If no one wins a majority of first choices, the last-place finisher is eliminated and those ballots move to their next choice until one candidate has majority support.
More Choice Voting vs top-two vs closed primaries
| System | Who votes in the primary | Finalists in November | How November is decided |
|---|---|---|---|
| More Choice Voting (top-four or top-five) | Every registered voter | Four or five | Ranked choice |
| Top-two | Every registered voter | Two | Most votes wins |
| Closed party primaries | Enrolled party members only | One per party | Most votes wins |
Why open primaries come first
More Choice Voting depends on an open primary. If only party members can vote in round one, adding more finalists still leaves independents out of the decisive stage. That is why the clearest path for a new supporter is to back open primaries first, then explore More Choice Voting. The Independent Voter Project describes the two as pairing naturally to maximize voter choice at every stage.
Start with the open vs closed primary explainer, or add your name through the take action page. To read the reform in the Independent Voter Project's own words, see its More Choice Voting page.
More Choice Voting questions
See all 47 questions in the FAQWhat is More Choice Voting?
More Choice Voting is the Independent Voter Project's name for reforms that expand the field of viable candidates, such as top-four or top-five open primaries paired with ranked choice general elections. The goal is more competition, so winners must earn broader support instead of surviving a low-turnout partisan primary.
How does More Choice Voting relate to open primaries?
They work in sequence. An open primary lets every voter take part in the first round. More Choice Voting then advances more than two finishers and lets voters rank them in November. That is why the clearest path for a new supporter is to back open primaries first, then explore More Choice Voting as the next step.
Which states use a final-four or final-five system?
Alaska adopted a final-four system in 2020, pairing a nonpartisan primary with a ranked choice general election. Reports indicate final-five and top-five proposals are advancing in multiple states. Because these measures move through legislatures and ballot campaigns on different timelines, check the latest coverage for each state.
What is Alaska's top-four primary?
Alaska uses a nonpartisan top-four primary: all candidates share one primary ballot and the four with the most votes advance to a general election decided by ranked choice voting. Alaska adopted the system in 2020. Alaska's presidential primaries remain closed.
Can two candidates from the same party face off in a top-two general election?
Yes, and it is one of the most debated outcomes. A widely cited Top-two primary explainer describes a race where 52 percent of voters backed one of three Democrats, yet two Republicans reached the general election because they narrowly finished first and second. Splitting the vote among many candidates from one party creates that risk.
What should I do first if I support open primaries?
Start by supporting open primaries: sign the Independent Voter Project’s open primaries petition or the national petition at openmyprimary.org, which has action pages for 15 closed primary states. Then explore More Choice Voting, the next reform in the sequence. New Yorkers can also sign a declaration in the Rieckhoff v. Berger case.
Your next step
Support open primaries first. Then explore More Choice Voting.
Opening the primary is the reform every other change builds on. Add your name, then read how More Choice Voting takes the next step.