Bill > H4262

This bill implements ranked choice voting (RCV) in Boston for municipal elections, allowing voters to rank up to four candidates in order of preference instead of voting for just one candidate. For mayoral and district city council races with three or more candidates, and for at-large city council elections, voters will now be able to indicate their first, second, third, and fourth choice candidates on the ballot. The voting tabulation process will work differently depending on whether it's a single-winner race (like mayor) or a multi-winner race (like at-large city council): in single-winner races, candidates with the fewest votes will be eliminated in rounds, with votes transferring to voters' next-ranked candidates until one candidate has a majority; in multi-winner races, candidates will be elected when they reach a specific vote threshold, with excess votes redistributed to voters' next-ranked candidates. The bill also requires the election commission to provide voter education about the new system, publish detailed election results including round-by-round vote transfers, and ensure the process is accessible in multiple languages. Before implementation, the proposed changes must be approved by Boston voters through a ballot referendum, and if approved, would take effect for municipal elections at least 365 days after the approval.

Government Affairs

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4262