Allows ranked-choice voting options for municipal and school board elections under certain circumstances.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Shama Haider

Allows local governments to adopt ranked-choice voting for municipal and school board elections (via ordinance, referendum, or Faulkner Act petition).

Introduced, Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee

Summary of Bill A-1745 (Session 222) – New Jersey

Purpose and intent

Establishes a framework for municipalities and school boards to adopt ranked-choice voting (RCV) for local elections under certain circumstances.

Referred as the Municipal and School Board Voting Options Act, it authorizes local adoption of RCV via ordinance/resolution or voter-approved referendum, and, if enacted, would apply to elections for mayor, municipal governing body members, and elected school board members (excluding primary elections).

Key provisions and changes

Definitions critical to RCV implementation:

Continuing candidate, election threshold, exhausted ballot, highest-ranked continuing candidate, ranking order, round.
Distinguishes between single-winner races (instant runoff method) and multi-winner races (single transferable vote method).
Establishes formulas for thresholds and transfer mechanics:
Election threshold: (number of votes / number of seats + 1) + 1.
Surplus and transfer value calculations for multi-winner races, with transfer values adjusted round by round.

How RCV would operate:

Single-winner races (e.g., Mayor or district/ward seats): Instant runoff method, counted in rounds until a candidate exceeds 50% or two candidates remain (winner declared).
Multi-winner races (e.g., at-large council or at-large school board): Single transferable vote method, with rounds transferring surplus votes and/or votes from lowest-ranked candidates until all seats are filled.
Ballots lacking a continuing candidate or having certain disqualifying rankings become exhausted; ties resolved by lot.

Local adoption mechanism:

Municipalities and school boards may adopt RCV by ordinance/resolution submitted to voters for approval via referendum.
Alternatively, voters may initiate a petition under existing Faulkner Act procedures; petition must garner signatures equal to 10% of total votes cast in the last General Assembly election and include a public question and interpretive statement.

Administrative framework:

The Division of Elections (Department of State) to promulgate rules and guidelines under the Administrative Procedure Act to assist local officials in implementing and counting RCV elections.

Effective date:

The act states it shall take effect immediately upon enactment.

Who/what is affected

Local governments: all municipal governing bodies and all school boards in New Jersey, with authority to opt into RCV for non-primary elections.

Voters: would participate in RCV-enabled municipal and school board elections where adopted.

Election officials: would implement new counting rules (instant runoff or single transferable vote), manage exhausted ballots, and apply transfer/value computations.

State: Division of Elections would issue regulations and guidance.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Legislative pathway: Introduced January 13, 2026; referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee.

Local-Option timeline: Implementation contingent on local adoption via ordinance/resolution or voter referendum, with state guidance to follow.

Immediate effect language suggests provisions could be used promptly if enacted, subject to local adoption processes and voter approval.

Notable details

Precision in definitions (thresholds, surplus, transfer value) intended to standardize counting and transfers.

Reference to both single-winner and multi-winner counting processes, ensuring clarity on how RCV would apply across different local office formats.