By Sacramento Daily Press Staff
From Sacramento to statehouses nationwide, both parties are trading accusations of gerrymandering—redrawing maps to tilt the odds in their favor. Critics compare it to tampering with the engines before a race, making sure one team’s car runs faster than the rest.
The American system, at its best, was meant to give voters a fair shot and a real voice. But while much of the nation is consumed by partisan fights over who gains the upper hand, one local volunteer group is working on an idea they believe could move things in the opposite direction—making elections more open, representative, and accountable to the people themselves.
That effort is led in part by Sacramento resident Josh Rosa, a longtime public servant and educator who sits on the steering committee of Better Ballot Sacramento. Rosa has taught collaborative governance at Sacramento State and worked in city government for two decades, including at City Hall. His experience gave him a close look at how the system works—and where it leaves voters behind.
Better Ballot Sacramento volunteers in action. Photos courtesy of Josh Rosa.
Right now, Sacramento uses a “contingent primary” system: if a candidate for City Council clears 50 percent plus one in the spring, the race ends there. Otherwise, it moves to a November runoff between the top two. The problem, Rosa and his colleagues say, is that most council races are decided in the spring, when voter turnout is at its lowest.
Better Ballot Sacramento is proposing that the city and county move to ranked choice voting, allowing voters to rank candidates in order of preference and electing a winner in a single, higher-turnout November election. Supporters argue it would save taxpayer dollars, reduce the need for negative runoff campaigns, and give voters the freedom to choose without worrying about “spoilers.”
“It’s about making government more responsive to the whole community,” Rosa said. “The important thing is that people are heard and that people can engage with candidates. We don’t have that at all under the current system.”
The campaign has already drawn a broad coalition. Groups ranging from the League of Women Voters to neighborhood associations and local Democratic clubs have signed on, while volunteers across Elk Grove, Folsom, and Sacramento are working the phones and social media. Rosa emphasizes that it’s entirely a grassroots effort: “We’re a 100 percent volunteer campaign. We’ve built a lot of camaraderie, and anyone who wants to get involved can jump in.”
Better Ballot Sacramento hopes the City Council will place a charter amendment on the 2026 ballot, giving voters the chance to decide.
Whatever the outcome, the effort itself stands out. At a time when so much of the national conversation about elections is consumed by partisan map-making and power plays, Rosa and his team are offering something different: neighbors volunteering their time in the belief that Sacramento’s voters deserve a stronger voice.
Sacramento community members are invited to learn more about Better Ballot Sacramento and get involved by visiting their website at BetterBallotSacramento.org.
