Bill > H4713

This bill establishes ranked choice voting (RCV) for town elections in Concord, with specific rules for how votes will be counted. Under the proposed system, voters can rank candidates in order of preference, and the election is decided through multiple rounds of vote counting. In each round, ballots are counted for voters' highest-ranked continuing candidates, with the candidate receiving the fewest votes being eliminated in each round until a winner is determined. For single-seat offices, the candidate with the most votes after eliminating lower-performing candidates wins. For multi-seat elections, the process is repeated to fill each seat, disregarding rankings for candidates already elected. The bill defines key terms like "concluded ballot" (a ballot that cannot contribute to remaining candidates) and "overvote" (ranking multiple candidates in the same position), and provides detailed tiebreaking procedures. The Town Clerk is granted authority to create implementation rules, and the law will take effect immediately if there are at least 90 days before the next election, allowing time for proper preparation and voter education about the new voting system.

Government Affairs

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4713