Assembly Bill 1165 introduces ranked-choice voting for all federal, state, and local elections in Wisconsin, excluding recall elections. Under this system, voters can rank candidates in order of preference, and if no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed based on voters' next preferences. This process continues until a candidate achieves a majority. The bill also specifies that no primary elections will be held, except for special primaries and presidential preference primaries, which will also utilize ranked-choice voting.

The bill includes several amendments and repeals existing statutes related to election procedures. Notably, it repeals sections of current law that are inconsistent with the new voting method, such as provisions regarding traditional voting methods and primary elections. Additionally, it creates new sections to facilitate the implementation of ranked-choice voting, including provisions for the Elections Commission to make necessary expenditures and grants to local governments for updating voting equipment and software. The bill aims to modernize the electoral process and enhance voter engagement by allowing more nuanced voting preferences.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 5.01(4)(a), 5.01, 5.01(4)(b), 5.01(4)(c), 5.01(5), 5.02(19), 5.02, 5.02(20r), 5.02(22), 5.15(6)(b), 5.15, 5.58, 5.60(1)(ag), 5.60, 5.64(1)(ar)1m, 5.64, 5.64(1)(ar)2, 5.66(1), 5.66, 5.68(5), 5.68, 7.08(1)(c), 7.08, 7.10(6), 7.10, 7.50(1)(b), 7.50