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Bill

SB 951

AN ACT CONCERNING RANKED-CHOICE VOTING.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Aundré Bumgardner and 2 co-sponsors

SB 951 would establish ranked-choice voting in Connecticut elections, allowing voters to rank candidates by preference with redistribution of votes until a candidate wins a majority.

REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Government Administration and Elections
#municipalelections #presidentialelections #primaries #voting
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Bill Summary · SB 951

Legislative bill overview

SB 951 would implement ranked-choice voting (RCV) in Connecticut elections, allowing voters to rank candidates by preference instead of selecting only one. If no candidate wins a majority on the first count, votes are redistributed based on voters' ranked preferences until a candidate achieves 50% plus one vote. The bill has been referred to the Joint Committee on Government Administration and Elections for review.

Why is this important

Ranked-choice voting could reduce the "spoiler effect" where third-party candidates split votes with similar ideological candidates, potentially changing electoral outcomes. It may also decrease negative campaigning since candidates compete for voters' second and third choices. Implementation would require significant changes to Connecticut's voting infrastructure, ballot design, and election administration procedures.

Potential points of contention

  • Cost and implementation complexity: RCV requires new voting equipment, voter education campaigns, and staff training, with unknown fiscal impact to municipalities and the state
  • Voter confusion and ballot validity: Some voters may misunderstand ranking instructions, potentially leading to higher rates of invalid ballots or miscounted votes
  • Partisan implications: The effect on Democratic, Republican, and third-party candidates in Connecticut is uncertain; parties may support or oppose based on projected electoral advantages
  • Tabulation transparency: Complex vote redistribution processes may be harder for voters to understand and audit compared to simple plurality voting

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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