Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
     2024 REGULAR SESSION
                 Introduced Senate Bill 593
   By Senators Rucker, Chapman, and Woodrum [Introduced January 30, 2024; referred to the Committee on Government Organization; and then to the Committee on the Judiciary]
     Intr SB                                         2024R3272
1    A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section,
2              designated §3-1-52, relating to prohibiting ranked choice voting in any election held in
3              West Virginia.
     Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
     ARTICLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS AND DEFINITIONS.
     §3-1-52.                   Ranked choice voting prohibited.
1              (a) Definitions:
2              (1) "Local government" means any municipality, county, school district, special taxing
3    district, or any other regional or local district or unit of government that is governed by one or more
4    elected officials.
5              (2) "Ranked choice voting" or "instant runoff voting" means a method of casting and
6    tabulating votes in which:
7              (A) Voters rank candidates in order of preference;
8              (B) Tabulation proceeds in rounds such that in each round either a candidate or
9    candidates are elected or the last-place candidate is defeated;
10             (C) Votes are transferred from elected or defeated candidates to the voters’ next ranked
11   candidate or candidates in order of preference; and
12             (D) Tabulation ends when a candidate receives the majority of votes cast or the number of
13   candidates elected equals the number of offices to be filled.
14             (b) No state, county, or local elections office shall use ranked choice voting or instant runoff
15   voting to conduct an election or nomination of any candidate in this state for any local government,
16   statewide, or federal elective office.
17             (c) Any local government ordinance in conflict with this section is void.
               NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to prohibit ranked choice voting in any election held in
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Intr SB                                         2024R3272
          West Virginia.
          Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.
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Statutes affected: 
Introduced Version: 3-1-52