It may take four days from the Nov. 7 election to find out who will be the next St. Paul mayor.

While voters will learn which of the 10 candidates is in the lead on election night, officials with Ramsey County Elections will need to sort through the ballot redistribution process due to the ranked choice system. Nearly half of all voters ranked multiple candidates in order of preference during city council elections in 2011.

In fact, this mayoral election may be the first in which ranked choice voting plays a significant role in determining the victor.

It’s entirely possible that the top vote-getter on election night will not become the next mayor of St. Paul. That’s because if that candidate fails to get more than 50 percent of the vote, then voters’ second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth choices can be tallied up. The redistribution will go on until one candidate has more than 50 percent of the votes, or only two candidates remain.

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St. Paul voters approved ranked choice — also known as instant run-off voting — at the polls in 2009.

The city first instituted the new voting method during the 2011 city council races. School board is still determined by the traditional voting method, with the highest vote-getters winning the election.

Minneapolis mayor and city council races will also be decided by ranked choice.

Here's how many folks ranked their vote in 2011 city council races. 100 – Falloff = Percentage of ranked votes. pic.twitter.com/UUeHeludQa — FredMelo, Reporter (@FrederickMelo) November 1, 2017

HOW IT WORKS

To win a ranked-choice election in St. Paul, a candidate must earn more than 50 percent of the vote.

With 10 candidates on the Nov. 7 mayoral ballot, the likelihood of earning more than 50 percent of the vote on the first ballot count is low.

Voters will get to rank as many as six of their preferred candidates on the ballot. Voters don’t have to list six choices — they could rank fewer or just choose one.

Elections workers will determine the weakest vote-getter of the 10 candidates. The second preferences listed on ballots cast for the weakest candidate then will be redistributed among the remaining nine candidates.

The process continues until one candidate clears the threshold of more than 50 percent — or until only two candidates remain, and then the one with the most votes wins.

WHAT’S THE POINT?

Proponents of ranked choice voting maintain that it keeps campaigns from becoming too negative as candidates try to curry favor even if they aren’t the first choice of voters.

They also note that it gives voters more choices at the ballot box.

Critics, however, say ranked choice opens races to too many candidates –including non-serious contenders who only serve to distract voters from important issues. And, it complicates the voting process, opponents argue.

Opponents of ranked choice tried but failed to get a question on the 2017 ballot to repeal the voting method.