Senate File 561 - Introduced SENATE FILE 561 BY TRONE GARRIOTT , WAHLS , ZIMMER , DONAHUE , DOTZLER , WEINER , BLAKE , and TOWNSEND A BILL FOR An Act allowing the use of ranked choice and instant runoff 1 voting in local government elections in this state. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2667XS (3) 91 ss/ns
S.F. 561 Section 1. Section 43.37, Code 2025, is amended to read as 1 follows: 2 43.37 Number of votes permitted per office authorized 3 methods . 4 1. The elector shall be permitted to vote for no more 5 candidates for any office than there are persons to be elected 6 to the office. If an elector votes for more persons for any 7 office than the number permitted, the electors ballot shall 8 not be counted for that office. 9 2. a. An election conducted for a local government office 10 in this state may be conducted using ranked choice voting or 11 instant runoff voting. 12 b. For purposes of this subsection: 13 (1) Local government means an incorporated city or town, 14 an unincorporated city or town, a county, a school, or any 15 other political subdivision of the state. 16 (2) Ranked choice voting or instant runoff voting means 17 a method of casting and tabulating votes in which a voter 18 ranks candidates in order of preference, tabulation of ballots 19 proceeds in rounds such that in each round either a candidate 20 is elected or the candidate receiving the fewest votes is 21 defeated, votes are transferred from elected or defeated 22 candidates to a voters next-ranked candidate in order of 23 preference, and tabulation ends when a candidate receives the 24 majority of votes cast or the number of candidates elected 25 equals the number of offices to be filled, as applicable. 26 Sec. 2. Section 49.93, Code 2025, is amended to read as 27 follows: 28 49.93 Number of votes for each office authorized methods . 29 1. For an office to which one person is to be elected, a 30 voter shall not vote for more than one candidate. If two or 31 more persons are to be elected to an office, the voter shall 32 vote for no more than the number of persons to be elected. If a 33 person votes for more than the permitted number of candidates, 34 the vote for that office shall not count. Valid votes cast on 35 -1- LSB 2667XS (3) 91 ss/ns 1/ 2
S.F. 561 the rest of the ballot shall be counted. 1 2. a. An election conducted for a local government office 2 in this state may be conducted using ranked choice voting or 3 instant runoff voting. 4 b. For purposes of this subsection: 5 (1) Local government means an incorporated city or town, 6 an unincorporated city or town, a county, a school, or any 7 other political subdivision of the state. 8 (2) Ranked choice voting or instant runoff voting means 9 a method of casting and tabulating votes in which a voter 10 ranks candidates in order of preference, tabulation of ballots 11 proceeds in rounds such that in each round either a candidate 12 is elected or the candidate receiving the fewest votes is 13 defeated, votes are transferred from elected or defeated 14 candidates to a voters next-ranked candidate in order of 15 preference, and tabulation ends when a candidate receives the 16 majority of votes cast or the number of candidates elected 17 equals the number of offices to be filled, as applicable. 18 EXPLANATION 19 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 20 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 21 This bill allows ranked choice and instant runoff voting, 22 defined in the bill, to be used to cast or tabulate ballots in 23 elections for local government offices, defined in the bill. 24 -2- LSB 2667XS (3) 91 ss/ns 2/ 2