Towle's New Book on Voting

Kandace Fernandez

This past March the Mount’s own, Professor Michael Towle finally released a project he’s been working on since 1999 entitled, Ranked Choice Voting.

He’s been marinating on this topic for decades, and it shows. The slow-cooked publication gives a balanced perspective with all of the ins and outs of one of the most talked-about changes in how we vote.

A true educator through and through, Towle’s work has no intent on yelling out, “RCV is the answer!” or “Down with the system!” Instead it’s a deep dive into how it works, why it’s gaining traction and the challenges that come with it. 

Towle maintains a rare mix of academic accolades and a public educator’s heart. Instead, of pushing an agenda he gives you the tools to understand ranked choice voting so you can form your own opinion. Hard to believe that anyone in the realm of today’s political scene is capable of such.   

And yes, people are noticing. On Tuesday, April 29, The Mount’s faculty came together to celebrate the release, raising their glasses in honor of Towle’s work. Dr. Maureen Oakley, chair of the political science department, had a full circle moment reflecting on when she first joined the faculty and Towle was her department chair. It's that kind of mutual respect that shows Towle isn’t just brilliant, he’s beloved. 

For those who don’t know (like me before questioning Towle and some of the other Poli Sci faculty), ranked choice voting (or RCV) is a system where voters rank candidates in order of preference. It’s gaining traction in places like New York City, Maine, and Alaska, and even in my home state, California (specifically in San Francisco).

Instead of selecting a singular candidate, voters name a second and third choice as well, in case their first choice has no chance at winning. Think fantasy football, but for democracy. 

And despite the growing popularity, confusion still lurks in the public’s knowledge of RCV. Ranked Choice Voting is here to help clear the air. Towle covers not just the mechanics of how it works, but also what it means for voter turnout, equity, ballot design, and whether people actually understand it. Spoiler: sometimes they don’t. But instead of leaving us non-political experts in the dark or sugarcoating things, Towle just calmly walks us through it. 

And this isn’t his first time sharing on the subject. Back in October of 2018, he explained some of these concepts during the Ducharme Lecture Series, a campus event where some of MSMUs best and brightest discuss real-world issues in a way that makes you actually care. 

Students at Mount St. Mary’s love him and hold him in high regard. Not just because he knows his stuff, but he’s approachable, thoughtful, and genuinely wants people to get it.

I know this firsthand because this story wouldn’t have happened had he not allowed me to bombard his schedule last minute to attend his faculty celebration and made time to answer my questions around a book I had yet to read. That’s a tried-and-true Mount St. Mary’s educator for you.  

Professor Towle didn’t just write another academic book. He gave us a handbook for better civic conversations. He’s challenging the idea that only billionaires and political dynasty members get to shape the future of voting. Instead, he’s putting the knowledge in our hands. And honestly? That’s exactly the kind of leadership we need right now.