Sponsors (3)
The bill simplifies election administration in D.C. by mandating a single (non-ranked) voting method but does so by removing ranked-choice voting, reducing local choice and potentially imposing legal and administrative costs on D.C.
D.C. election officials and voters: all D.C. elections will use the same (non-ranked) voting method, simplifying administration, ballot design, and voter instructions.
D.C. voters and candidates: lose the option of ranked-choice voting, removing a method that can reduce spoiler effects and help ensure majority-supported winners.
D.C. voters and local authorities: the ban applies to Federal elections held in D.C., potentially overriding locally chosen election methods and reducing D.C.'s control over its election rules.
D.C. local government: may face legal and administrative costs to revise or repeal existing ranked-choice statutes, update ballots, and change procedures to comply with the ban.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Prohibits the District of Columbia from using ranked-choice voting (RCV) in any District of Columbia election, including elections for federal offices and any ballot initiative or referendum. It amends the Help America Vote Act to add this prohibition, updates enforcement cross-references to include the new provision, and makes clerical renumbering changes.
Introduced April 1, 2025 by Michael Lawler · Last progress April 1, 2025