Arizona and Nevada not only are major battlegrounds in the presidential race, but voters there also will decide Nov. 5 whether the two states will adopt some incarnation of the process known as ranked choice voting.

Six western states and the District of Columbia will vote on some form of ranked choice voting or “jungle primary” that includes ranking the final candidates, according to Ranked Vote and Unite America, which advocate the alternate election process.

Another state will consider ditching the ranked choice system.

In most states, supporters and opponents of ranked choice voting don’t break down along traditional party lines. In several states, in fact, both the Democratic and Republican parties oppose the process.

The other states considering ranked choice voting in November are Colorado, Idaho, and Oregon.

In Alaska, voters will consider repealing a law providing for ranked choice voting. Enough Alaskans have buyer’s remorse after adopting ranked choice voting four years ago that it’s on the ballot again.

The ballot initiatives seemingly go against a trend in which 10 state legislatures have banned ranked choice voting

“We’ve seen legislatures ban ranked choice voting in several states, but ballot measures seem to have a mind of their own,” Jason Snead, executive director of the Honest Elections Project and an opponent of ranked choice voting, told The Daily Signal.

“There has been massive spending on some of these initiatives.” Snead said. “People are actually seeing a small cabal of donors that want to weaken political parties. Progressive donors want to take control of the political process at the expense of political parties.”

Two organizations, United America PAC and Article IV, are the leading funders of related ballot initiatives in some states.

Supporters of ranked choice voting are outspending opponents by at least 2 to 1, and often 10 to 1, according to campaign finance reports cited by Ballotpedia.

United America released a study this month finding that 87% of the races for the U.S. House of Representatives are determined by 7% of voters during primary elections. The political action committee contends this shows the need for a primary system that advances the top finishers to the general election.

Ranked choice voting advocates support a top four or top five system.

“These numbers speak to the despair many Americans have that their vote does not seem to matter,” said Nick Troiano, executive director of Unite America, in a public statement. “But with a record number of open primary initiatives on the ballot this November, our movement is proving it doesn’t have to be this way.”

All the jurisdictions considering ballot measures on ranked choice voting currently have party primaries; the two nominees who emerge in the primaries face off in November.

Ranked choice voting has been implemented in marginally different ways in various jurisdictions. Generally, though, voters are asked to rank their first, second, and third choices on the ballot.

If no candidate gets more than 50% to finish in first place, a second round of counting occurs. Gradually,........

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