Bill > H4916

This bill authorizes the town of Bedford to implement ranked choice voting, a system where voters rank candidates in order of preference instead of selecting just one. Ranked choice voting will be used for all elected town offices, with exceptions for single-seat offices with two or fewer candidates and multi-seat offices where the number of candidates does not exceed the number of open seats. The bill defines key terms like "concluded ballot" (a ballot that can no longer be counted for any remaining candidate), "continuing candidate" (a candidate not yet eliminated), "highest-ranked continuing candidate" (the top choice on a ballot among those still in the running), "overvote" (ranking multiple candidates at the same preference level), and "ranking" (a voter's order of preference for candidates). Elections will be tabulated in rounds: in single-seat races, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated each round until only two remain, at which point the one with more votes wins; for multi-seat races, the process is repeated after the first seat is filled, disregarding votes for already elected candidates. The bill also outlines procedures for breaking ties and grants the Town Clerk authority to establish necessary rules for implementation, with the act taking effect after voter approval and applying to elections held at least 90 days after acceptance.

Government Affairs

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4916