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 examining various aspects of ranked-choice voting, such as voter education, election integrity, and technological needs, with the goal of making recommendations for implementation by 2028. The bill also amends existing laws to incorporate ranked-choice voting into the presidential primary process, introducing new definitions and procedures, including the requirement for voters to request a ranked-choice ballot and a new tabulation process for counting votes.

Additionally, the bill emphasizes transparency in the election process by mandating that round-by-round results be made public if a major political party allocates delegates by geographical unit or district. It requires the canvassing committee to include the number of final round votes received by each candidate in its certificate of election. The Secretary of State is tasked with adopting rules for the efficient administration of these elections, ensuring that voting equipment can accommodate ranked-choice voting and that the number of rankings is consistent statewide. All tally sheets and returns must be designed to record ranked-choice voting results by January 1, 2028, with the act taking effect upon passage, and specific provisions related to rulemaking and tally sheets becoming effective on January 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 17-57