R 392
2022 -- S 2232 SUBSTITUTE A
Enacted 06/22/2022

S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N
CREATING A SPECIAL SENATE COMMISSION TO STUDY RANKED CHOICE VOTING AND RUNOFF ELECTIONS FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND GENERAL OFFICER PRIMARIES

Introduced By: Senators Zurier, DiMario, Kallman, and McCaffrey

Date Introduced: February 08, 2022

     WHEREAS, Using Ranked Choice Voting has the potential to expand the range of
choices available to voters by allowing them to vote for candidates of their choice without
concern of giving an advantage to the candidate they least prefer and promote campaigns that are
more positive and focused on issues because candidates will seek to appeal to opponents'
supporters as a second choice; and
     WHEREAS, The implementation of runoff elections would ensure that a winner of a
primary election won a majority of the votes in a given election, promoting majority support of a
candidate by the electorate; now therefore be it
     RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created
consisting of seven (7) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the Senate, not more
than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; one of
whom shall be a representative of the Board of Elections, to be appointed by the President of the
Senate; one of whom shall be the Secretary of State, or designee; and two (2) of whom shall be
representatives from a board of canvassers or election officials of two (2) different cities or towns
in the state, to be appointed by the President of the Senate.
     All members of the study commission shall be registered voters of this state at the time of
their selection and at all times while they remain on the commission.
     The purpose of said commission shall be to study the potential application of ranked
choice voting on primary elections for General Assembly and General Officer candidates,
including but not limited to;
     • Analyzing the requirements for implementing ranked choice voting, including
public education, voting equipment and technology, ballot designs, and costs;
     • Determining the level of public support for ranked choice voting;
     • Reviewing the experience of other states in conducting elections using ranked
choice voting;
     • Providing recommended changes in the law to implement ranked choice voting;
and
     • Providing recommendations on making all voting systems used in the state
compatible with ranked choice voting, including a review of the availability and costs of
necessary voting equipment; study any other alternatives to single-ballot plurality voting the
commission considers relevant or useful.
     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at
the call of the President of the Senate, who shall appoint a Chair of the commission.
     Vacancies in the commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.
     A quorum of the commission shall consist of a majority of its membership, and the
membership of the commission shall receive no compensation for their services.
     All departments and agencies of the state, shall furnish such advice and information,
documentary or otherwise, to the commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or desirable
by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.
     The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide
suitable quarters for the commission; and be it further
     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the
President of the Senate on or before February 1, 2023, and the commission shall expire on July 1,
2023.
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LC004276/SUB A
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