Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H5275 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	2025 -- H 5275
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9	9	S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
12	12	____________
13	13
14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- PRIMARY ELECTIONS--GENERAL ASSEMBLY OFFICES-
16	16	-RANKED CHOICE VOTING
17	17	Introduced By: Representatives Kislak, Shanley, Boylan, Cortvriend, Speakman, Cotter,
18	18	Knight, Craven, Caldwell, and Batista
19	19	Date Introduced: January 31, 2025
20	20	Referred To: House State Government & Elections
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23	23	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
24	24	SECTION 1. Chapter 17-15 of the General Laws entitled "Primary Elections" is hereby 1
25	25	amended by adding thereto the following section: 2
26	26	17-15-4.1. Applicability. 3
27	27	This chapter shall apply for all party primary elections, except for general assembly offices. 4
28	28	For the offices of state representative and state senator, when there are three (3) or more candidates, 5
29	29	including write-in candidates in a primary election, there shall be primary election runoffs which 6
30	30	shall be governed by chapter 15.1 of title 17, ("primary election instant runoff") that established 7
31	31	ranked choice voting, restricted to general assembly primary elections. 8
32	32	SECTION 2. Title 17 of the General Laws entitled "ELECTIONS" is hereby amended by 9
33	33	adding thereto the following chapter: 10
34	34	CHAPTER 15.1 11
35	35	PRIMARY ELECTION INSTANT RUNOFF 12
36	36	17-15.1-1. Applicability. 13
37	37	This chapter shall only apply to party primary elections for general assembly offices, when 14
38	38	there are three (3) or more candidates. 15
39	39	17-15.1-2. Definitions. 16
40	40	For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings: 17
41	41	(1) "Active candidate" means any candidate who has not been defeated or elected. 18
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45	45	(2) "Highest-ranked active candidate" means the active candidate assigned to a higher 1
46	46	ranking than any other active candidates. 2
47	47	(3) "Inactive ballots" are ballots that do not count for any candidate, for any of the reasons 3
48	48	set forth in this chapter. 4
49	49	(4) "Overvote" means an instance in which a voter has ranked more than one candidate at 5
50	50	the same ranking. 6
51	51	(5) "Ranking" means the number available to be assigned by a voter to a candidate to 7
52	52	express the voter's choice for that candidate. The number "1" is the highest ranking, followed by 8
53	53	"2" and then "3" and so on. 9
54	54	(6) "Round" means an instance of the sequence of voting tabulation, beginning with §17-10
55	55	15.1-4. 11
56	56	(7) "Skipped ranking" means a voter has left a ranking unassigned, but ranks a candidate 12
57	57	at a subsequent ranking. 13
58	58	(8) "Undervote" means a ballot that does contain any candidates at any ranking, in a 14
59	59	particular contest. 15
60	60	17-15.1-3. Ranked choice voting ballot. 16
61	61	(a) In any contest conducted by ranked choice voting, the ballot shall allow voters to rank 17
62	62	candidates in order of choice. 18
63	63	(b) The ballot shall allow voters to rank as many choices as there are candidates, except as 19
64	64	provided in this section. In the event that the voting equipment cannot accommodate a number of 20
65	65	rankings on the ballot equal to the number of qualified candidates, the board of elections may limit 21
66	66	the number of choices a voter may rank on a ballot to the maximum number allowed by the 22
67	67	equipment. 23
68	68	(c) Instructions on the ballot shall conform substantially to the following specifications, 24
69	69	subject to usability testing and modification based on ballot design and voting system: "Vote by 25
70	70	indicating your first-choice candidate and ranking additional candidates in order of preference. 26
71	71	Indicate your first choice by marking the number "1" beside a candidate's name, your second choice 27
72	72	by marking the number "2" beside a different candidate's name, your third choice by marking the 28
73	73	number "3" beside another different candidate's name, and so on. Rank as many choices as you 29
74	74	wish. Indicating second and later preferences will not count against your first choice. Do not skip 30
75	75	numbers, and do not mark the same number beside more than one candidate." 31
76	76	17-15.1-4. Ranked choice voting tabulation. 32
77	77	(a) Each ballot shall count as one vote for the highest-ranked active candidate on that ballot. 33
78	78	Tabulation shall proceed in rounds, with each round proceeding sequentially as follows: 34
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82	82	(1) If two (2) or fewer active candidates remain, the candidate with the greatest number of 1
83	83	votes is elected and tabulation is complete. 2
84	84	(2) If more than two (2) active candidates remain, the active candidate with the fewest votes 3
85	85	is defeated, votes for the defeated candidate are transferred to each ballot's next-ranked active 4
86	86	candidate, and a new round begins with subsection (a)(1) of this section. 5
87	87	(b)(1) With regard to inactive ballots and undervotes, in any round of tabulation in a contest 6
88	88	conducted by ranked choice voting, an inactive ballot does not count for any candidate. A ballot is 7
89	89	inactive if any of the following is true: 8
90	90	(i) It does not contain any active candidates and is not an undervote; 9
91	91	(ii) It has reached an overvote; or 10
92	92	(iii) It has reached two (2) consecutive skipped rankings. 11
93	93	(2) An undervote does not count as an active or inactive ballot in any round of tabulation. 12
94	94	(3) A candidate ranked more than once on a ballot can only have the highest ranking 13
95	95	counted. If the candidate is defeated, all lower rankings of that candidate on the ballot will be 14
96	96	skipped over and the vote transferred to the next-ranked active candidate. Giving a candidate more 15
97	97	than one ranking will not, by itself, cause a ballot to be inactive. 16
98	98	(c) With regard to ties, if two (2) or more candidates are tied with the fewest votes, and 17
99	99	tabulation cannot continue until the candidate with the fewest votes is defeated, then the candidate 18
100	100	to be defeated shall be determined by lot. Election officials may resolve prospective ties between 19
101	101	candidates prior to tabulation after all votes are cast. 20
102	102	17-15.1-5. Results reporting. 21
103	103	(a) In addition to any other information required by law to be reported with final results, 22
104	104	the board of elections shall report the total number of ballots that became inactive in each round, 23
105	105	due to any of the following reasons: 24
106	106	(1) Because they did not contain any active candidates; or 25
107	107	(2) Had reached an overvote, or reached two (2) consecutive skipped rankings as separate 26
108	108	totals. 27
109	109	(b) If feasible, the board of elections shall also publish final results data by precinct, 28
110	110	including full ballot information and how ballots were marked below the rounds that were counted 29
111	111	in the election. 30
112	112	17-15.1-6. Rulemaking authority. 31
113	113	The state board of elections shall promulgate rules, regulations, and procedures in 32
114	114	accordance with chapter 35 of title 42 necessary to implement this chapter. 33
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118	118	SECTION 3. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2026. 1
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125	125	EXPLANATION
126	126	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
127	127	OF
128	128	A N A C T
129	129	RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- PRIMARY ELECTIONS--GENERAL ASSEMBLY OFFICES-
130	130	-RANKED CHOICE VOTING
131	131	***
132	132	This act would establish an instant runoff form of ranked choice voting limited, to general 1
133	133	assembly primary elections, with three (3) or more candidates. 2
134	134	This act would take effect January 1, 2026. 3
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