Assembly Bill 516 proposes the adoption of ranked-choice voting for local nonpartisan elections in Wisconsin, enabling counties, cities, and school districts to implement this voting method through an ordinance or resolution. Under ranked-choice voting, voters rank candidates by preference, and if no candidate secures a majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, with their votes redistributed according to the next preferences. This process continues until a candidate achieves a majority. The bill also eliminates primary elections for offices utilizing ranked-choice voting.

The legislation includes provisions for the Elections Commission to allocate necessary funds for implementing ranked-choice voting, such as updating voting equipment and software. It amends existing laws to incorporate new statutes related to ranked-choice voting and adjusts current statutes accordingly. Key requirements include notifying the Elections Commission of the decision to adopt this voting method at least 120 days prior to an election, as well as detailed reporting of vote tabulations and explanations for any rejected votes to enhance transparency and accountability in the electoral process.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 5.01(4)(a), 5.01, 5.01(4)(b), 5.01(4)(c), 7.08(1)(c), 7.08, 7.50(1)(b), 7.50, 7.50(1)(c), 7.50(2)(intro.), 7.51(4)(a), 7.51, 7.51(5)(a)3, 7.53(1)(a), 7.53, 7.60(4)(a), 7.60