Senate Bill 594 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 this system, voters rank candidates by preference, and if no candidate secures a majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, redistributing their votes according to the next preferences. The bill eliminates primary elections for offices utilizing ranked-choice voting and mandates local governing bodies to inform the Elections Commission of their decision to adopt or repeal this voting method.

The bill introduces new provisions to existing statutes, including the establishment of sections that define ranked-choice voting and outline the Elections Commission's responsibilities in administering it. It amends various sections to incorporate procedures for handling ties and counting votes, while also authorizing the Elections Commission to make expenditures for implementing ranked-choice voting and to provide grants for necessary updates to local election equipment and software. Additionally, the bill mandates detailed tabulation and reporting of election results, including the number of highest-ranked and lesser-ranked preferences for each candidate, while removing the previous requirement for the board of canvassers to specify reasons for rejected votes. These changes aim to improve transparency and clarity 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