Vetoed by Governor Glenn Youngkin

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that authorizes ranked choice voting for certain local elections in Virginia.

Highlights:

• Establishes that the decision to conduct an election by ranked choice voting shall be subject to a determination of feasibility made by the State Board of Elections (Sec. 1-2).

• Defines "Ranked choice voting" as a method of casting and tabulating votes in which (Sec. 1-2):

• Voters rank candidates in order of preference;

• Tabulation proceeds in rounds such that in each of the rounds either a candidate or candidates are elected or the last-place candidate is defeated;

• votes for voters' next-ranked candidates are transferred from elected or defeated candidates; and

• Tabulation ends when the number of candidates elected equals the number of offices to be filled.

• Establishes procedures for tabulating and reporting results of elections conducted using ranked choice voting, including procedures for duplicating damaged or defective ballots (Sec. 1-2).

• Requires the State Board of Elections to provide standards for and to approve vote tabulating software for use with existing voting systems in elections conducted by ranked choice voting and to produce generalized voter education materials on ranked choice voting (Sec. 1-2).

• Requires the State Board of Elections to create and modify recount procedures to the extent necessary to accommodate a recount of an election conducted by ranked choice voting (Sec. 1-2).

• Requires the Department of Elections to review the testing and approval framework for voting equipment in the Commonwealth and submit a report of such review no later than the first day of the 2026 Regular Session of the General Assembly (Sec. 1-2).

• Specifies that the provisions of this bill shall take effect immediately upon passage and approval by the Governor (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that authorizes ranked choice voting for certain local elections in Virginia.

Highlights:

• Establishes that the decision to conduct an election by ranked choice voting shall be subject to a determination of feasibility made by the State Board of Elections (Sec. 1-2).

• Defines "Ranked choice voting" as a method of casting and tabulating votes in which (Sec. 1-2):

• Voters rank candidates in order of preference;

• Tabulation proceeds in rounds such that in each of the rounds either a candidate or candidates are elected or the last-place candidate is defeated;

• votes for voters' next-ranked candidates are transferred from elected or defeated candidates; and

• Tabulation ends when the number of candidates elected equals the number of offices to be filled.

• Establishes procedures for tabulating and reporting results of elections conducted using ranked choice voting, including procedures for duplicating damaged or defective ballots (Sec. 1-2).

• Requires the State Board of Elections to provide standards for and to approve vote tabulating software for use with existing voting systems in elections conducted by ranked choice voting and to produce generalized voter education materials on ranked choice voting (Sec. 1-2).

• Requires the State Board of Elections to create and modify recount procedures to the extent necessary to accommodate a recount of an election conducted by ranked choice voting (Sec. 1-2).

• Requires the Department of Elections to review the testing and approval framework for voting equipment in the Commonwealth and submit a report of such review no later than the first day of the 2026 Regular Session of the General Assembly (Sec. 1-2).

• Specifies that the provisions of this bill shall take effect immediately upon passage and approval by the Governor (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text