The bill H.313 aims to establish a temporary Ranked-Choice Voting Study Committee in Vermont to investigate the implementation of ranked-choice voting for all state and federal elections, with a specific focus on U.S. presidential primary elections for major political parties. The committee will include members from the House and Senate, the Secretary of State, and local municipal clerks, and will be tasked with studying various aspects of ranked-choice voting, such as voter education and election integrity. The committee is required to report its findings and recommendations to the relevant legislative committees by January 15, 2026, with the goal of implementing ranked-choice voting by 2028.

In addition to forming the study committee, the bill introduces amendments to existing laws governing presidential primaries, including the requirement for ranked-choice ballots and the public disclosure of round-by-round results when delegates are allocated by geographical unit or district. It mandates that the canvassing committee's certificate of election includes the final round votes for each candidate and requires the Secretary of State to adopt rules for the efficient administration of these elections. By January 1, 2028, all election materials must be designed to record ranked-choice voting results, with certain provisions taking effect on January 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 17-57