MA S485

Bill

Providing a local option for ranked choice voting in municipal elections

Introduced
03/29/2021

In Committee
03/29/2021

Crossed Over

Passed

Dead
12/31/2022

Introduced Session

192nd General Court

Bill Summary

For legislation to provide a local option for ranked choice voting in municipal elections. Election Laws.

AI Summary

This bill provides a local option for ranked choice voting in municipal elections in Massachusetts. It amends existing law to allow cities and towns to adopt ranked choice voting, which is a system where voters rank candidates in order of preference. The bill outlines the process for how ranked choice voting would be implemented, including the methods for calculating winning thresholds, eliminating candidates with the fewest votes, transferring votes, resolving ties, and handling mismarked ballots. The bill also requires a voter education campaign and allows municipalities to return to their prior voting method after at least 4 years.

Committee Categories

Government Affairs

Sponsors (5)

Becca Rausch (D)*, Sonia Chang-Díaz (D), Jo Comerford (D), Brendan Crighton (D), John Cronin (D),

Last Action

Accompanied a study order, see H5026 (on 09/12/2022)

Official Document

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S485

(8 Companion Bills)

Version:

Document Type	Source Location
State Bill Page	https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S485
Bill	https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/S485.pdf

Bill	Bill Name	Last Action	Type
H3950	Relative to voting options for the city of Lowell for the 2021 municipal elections	Accompanied a study order, see H5026	Similar To
H3983	Authorizing the city of Cambridge to offer early voting in municipal elections	Accompanied a study order, see H5026	Similar To
H4207	Relative to ranked choice voting in the town of Arlington	No further action taken	Similar To
H5026	Study Order	No further action taken	Replaced by
H777	Relative to the implementation of elements of the charter for the city known as the town of Amherst	No further action taken	Similar To
H825	Providing a local option for ranked choice voting in municipal elections	Accompanied a study order, see H5026	Similar To
S448	Ensuring municipal participation of the widest eligible range	Accompanied a study order, see H5026	Similar To
S465	Extending voting rights in municipal elections to noncitizen voters of the commonwealth	Accompanied a study order, see H5026	Similar To

Bill > S485

MA S485

summary

Introduced Session

Bill Summary

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Sponsors (5)

Last Action

Official Document

bill text

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