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Pending Legislation and
Ballot Measures
Since January 2003, Congress and more than twenty state
legislatures have considered legislation about fair election voting
methods: instant runoff voting (IRV) and full representation systems. Illinois
passed legislation to allow county boards to adopt full representation, and Berkeley
(CA) voters backed IRV. Here is a state-by-state rundown. For
background on prior activity, see a review of legislation in 2001-2002
and a report on how in March 2002 San
Francisco adopted instant runoff voting for city elections starting
in November 2004. Also, see archived legislation for 2003-2004.
The Center for Voting and Democracy (CVD) will be tracking all
new legislation over the coming months. Please check this site regularly to see
what's happening in your state and around the country and let us know ([email protected]) if
we have missed an important development. The National Conference of State
Legislatures' Database
of Election Reform Legislation has further information on
electoral reform legislation.
Congress
Search
the
Library of Congress to track
legislation.
House Joint Resolution 1
House Joint Resolution 1 is a bill introduced by Representative Donna
Christensen of the Virgin Islands and would require that a constitutional
amendment be created ensuring that the right of citizens of the United States to
vote in the election for President and Vice President shall not be denied or
abridged by the United States or by any State on account of residency in a
territory or commonwealth of the United States. Introduced January 4, 2005.
States
Arkansas
Search the Arkansas General Assembly website to track
legislation.
HB 1770
Provides instant runoff voting for active duty military personnel stationed
overseas. Passed the house and is currently under review in the senate.
California
Search the California State Legislature website to track
legislation.
SB596
Allows not only general law cities, but all counties, school
districts, and special districts to use IRV. Describes how to
implement IRV, so that charter cities that want to use IRV won't be stymied by
election officials that don't know how to implement it.
AB 369 Existing law requires that, as of January 1, 2006, all direct recording electronic voting systems include an
accessible voter verified paper audit trail.
AB 868 This bill would require an elections official to count any absentee ballot returned by mail with a postmark of or before the date of the election.
SB 226 This bill would require a voter, in addition, to present proof of his or her identity and residency to a member of the precinct board before receiving a ballot. It would specify the documents that may be used for this purpose and would authorize any other form of identification that the Secretary of State determines to be appropriate. It would permit a voter who is unable to present proof of identity or residency to cast a provisional ballot.
Californians
for Electoral Reform is a great source for electoral reform activities
in California.
Connecticut
Search the Connecticut General Assembly website to track
legislation.
H.B. No. 6617 The joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to elections shall conduct a study of elections statutes and, not later than January 1, 2006, shall submit a report to the General Assembly on its findings and recommendations.
Florida
Search the Florida Senate
and House
of Representatives websites to track legislation.
Hawaii
Search the Hawaii State Legislature website to track
legislation.
HB 926
Requires central committee of party of person to be replaced to submit to
governor three nominees to fill vacancy and governor appoints replacement from
those nominees. Establishes notice requirements; provides that special election
to fill house vacancy shall use instant runoff voting system; directs chief
election officer to develop an instant runoff voting system.
HB 945 Provides for ranked choice voting in all state
and county elections; establishes the process and procedures for counting votes
and certifying election results using the ranked choice methodology.
SB 1174 Provides
for ranked choice voting in all state and county elections; establishes the
process and procedures for counting votes and certifying election results using
the ranked choice methodology.
Illinois
Search the Illinois General Assembly website to track
legislation.
HB
134 Requires ranked choice ballots for absentee ballots given to
military personnel outside the United States.
Iowa
Search the Iowa General Assembly website to track
legislation.
SCR 2 A concurrent resolution requesting the legislative council establish a
committee to study IRV.
Maine
Search the Maine State Legislature website to track
legislation.
LD 265 Allows for
the "offices of President, Vice President, United States Senator, United
States Representative to Congress, Governor, State Senator and State
Representative" to be elected by IRV.
Maryland
Search the Maryland General Assembly website to track
legislation.
Massachusetts
Search the Massachusetts State Legislature website to track
legislation.
Join supporters
of instant runoff voting in Massachusetts.
Michigan
Search the Michigan State Legislature website to track
legislation.
SB 0006 Allows for election day registration.
Minnesota
Search the Minnesota State Legislature website to track
legislation.
H.F. 975
Requires schools that accept public funding to create a list of students living
on or near campus. The list must be sent to the county auditor. Allows students who live on or near campus to vote in elections and register on election day.
FairVote
Minnesota regularly releases e-mail newsletters.
New Hampshire
Search the New Hampshire State Legislature website to track
legislation.
HB 48 Establishes
a committee to study voting ballot reform including the use of IRV.
New Jersey
Search the New Jersey State Legislature website to track
legislation.
AJR 99 Creates a commission to study instant runoff voting.
New Mexico
Search the New Mexico State Legislature website to track
legislation.
New York
Search the New York State Legislature website to track
legislation.
Citizens for Instant Runoff Voting in
New York State (NYSIRV): press
release on its latest activities in New York.
Oregon
Search the Oregon State
legislature to track legislation
HB 2638 Allows
county or city to adopt instant runoff voting system for nomination or election
of candidates to county or city office.
Texas
Search the Texas State Legislature website to track
legislation.
SB
197 Allows for preferential voting to be used in the election of
officers of schools boards and municipalities.
HB
1790 Allows for preferential voting in school board, municipal, or
county commissioner
Vermont
Search the Vermont General Assembly website to track
legislation.
Support for IRV
is strong in Vermont.
S
48 Allows IRV to be used to elect statewide offices and for selecting
representatives in the electoral college. The bill has the support of over
40 members of the senate.
Virginia
Search the Virginia General Assembly website to track
legislation.
Washington
Search the Washington State Legislature website to track
legislation.
HB 1447
Establishes a program to look at IRV for the election of non-partisan
offices.
Washington state
initiative for IRV launched: Instant
Runoff Washington has formed to collect signatures in 2004 for
action in 2005.
Wisconsin
Search the Wisconsin State Legislature website to track
legislation.
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