Bill > PR26-0410

This emergency resolution declares the urgent need for the District of Columbia's Board of Elections to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment regarding the implementation of ranked choice voting (RCV), which was authorized by the Ranked Choice Voting and Open Primary Elections to Independent Voters Act of 2024. The resolution highlights that successful RCV implementation requires extensive administrative preparation, including ballot redesign, system upgrades, staff training, and community education, and notes that other jurisdictions have used multi-year preparation timelines and readiness assessments before fully deploying RCV. The current statute lacks mandatory pre-implementation requirements, which could risk launching the voting system without sufficient preparation. The emergency legislation mandates a thorough assessment that must evaluate the Board's operational readiness, potential equity and access impacts on historically marginalized communities (such as seniors, people with limited English proficiency, and residents of specific wards), review best practices from other jurisdictions, and develop a detailed implementation plan with cost models, operational timelines, and a comprehensive voter outreach strategy. By declaring an emergency, the Council aims to ensure that the District does not proceed with RCV deployment without critical safeguards to protect voter access and prevent administrative failures.

https://lims.dccouncil.gov/Legislation/PR26-0410