Fair Representation Act

This bill would change how we vote for Congress. It would require ranked choice voting for all elections for U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives. Voters would rank candidates in order, and if your top pick can’t win, your vote moves to your next choice. For races that choose more than one winner, it uses a multi-seat ranked choice method. States would receive federal funds to update equipment and teach voters about the new system.

It also changes how House districts are drawn to reduce gerrymandering. Bigger states must use fewer, larger districts that each elect 3 to 5 representatives; smaller states would elect all representatives statewide. If this setup would weaken the voting power of protected groups, a court would block it and require single‑member districts. The bill sets clear mapping rules, bans mid‑decade redistricting, requires open public input, and bars using party data or where current members live when drawing maps.

• Who is affected: Voters in every state, state election officials, and candidates/parties in congressional races.
• What changes: Ranked choice voting becomes the standard for Senate elections starting in 2026, and for House elections tied to the 2030 census cycle.
• Districts: Large states use multi‑member districts (3–5 seats each); smaller states elect all representatives statewide.
• Primaries: Sets minimum numbers of candidates who advance to the general election in multi‑seat races.
• Backup rule: If ranked choice can’t be used, multi‑winner elections must use a method that awards seats to groups that earn enough votes, not winner‑take‑all.
• Map rules: Nonpartisan criteria, no mid‑decade remaps, open websites/hearings, and no use of party data or incumbents’ addresses.
• Enforcement: If a state misses map deadlines, a court draws the map; people and parties can sue to enforce the rules.
• Funding: States get $4–$8 per registered voter by June 1, 2026, to implement ranked choice voting and educate voters.
• Local impact: State and local elections are not changed by this bill.