Iowa House Bill HSB183

Iowa 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/21/23
• Refer: 2/21/23

Caption

A bill for an act allowing for the use of ranked choice voting in city elections, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

Impact

The bill aims to change existing statutes governing city elections by allowing for ranked choice voting, which would modify the way candidates are elected in cities that opt to adopt this system. Starting from January 1, 2024, elections conducted under this new method will not require separate primaries or runoff elections. This change could encourage greater voter participation by ensuring that votes are maximally effective and reflect a broader spectrum of voter preferences.

Summary

House Study Bill 183 (HSB183) proposes allowing cities in Iowa to adopt ranked choice voting for their elections. This innovative voting method enables voters to rank candidates in order of preference, which can potentially lead to more representative electoral outcomes. By implementing this system, the bill seeks to modernize the electoral process at the city level, facilitating better reflection of voter preferences and reducing the likelihood of spoiler candidates affecting election results.

Contention

Notably, HSB183 may face challenges or contention around its implementation and the readiness of electoral infrastructure to support this new voting method. Concerns could arise regarding the clarity of the voting process for constituents, particularly among those familiar with traditional voting methods. Additionally, the bill requires that the state commissioner of elections develop rules to ensure proper handling of ranked choice votes, including how preliminary results are reported and how ballots are tabulated, which may invite scrutiny regarding transparency and accuracy.