Bill > H575

This bill establishes "Instant Runoff Voting" (IRV) as the method for electing certain state officials, including the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of the commonwealth, state treasurer, and state auditor, as well as representatives and senators in the general court, when three or more candidates are running. IRV is a system where voters rank candidates in order of preference, and if no candidate wins a majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed to the voters' next ranked choice. This process continues in rounds until one candidate secures a majority of the votes. The bill defines key terms like "instant runoff voting," "advancing candidate" (a candidate not yet eliminated), and "continuing ballot" (a ballot that is still valid and has not become an "exhausted ballot," which is a ballot where all choices are for eliminated candidates). It also outlines how ballots will be marked, requiring voters to number their choices, and mandates that sample ballots and voter education campaigns be provided to ensure understanding of the new voting method.