WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

SD 2194

An Act providing a local option for ranked choice voting in municipal elections

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Mike Barrett and 4 co-sponsors

Allows Massachusetts municipalities to adopt ranked choice voting for local elections, with opt-in via ballot measure or charter and a four-year switch window.

House concurred
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SD 2194

Summary: Senate Bill No. SD 2194 (An Act providing a local option for ranked choice voting in municipal elections)

Purpose and gist

  • Establishes a local option for Massachusetts cities and towns to conduct municipal elections using ranked choice voting (RCV), including both single-winner and multi-winner offices.
  • Allows municipalities to opt in via ballot measure, ordinance/by-law, or charter amendment, and provides a framework for implementing RCV if adopted.

Key provisions

  • Legal framework and authorization

    • Amends General Laws to add a new Section 103R in Chapter 54, creating a local option for RCV.
    • Amends cross-referenced provisions to align ballot marking with the new option.
    • A city or town that accepts this section may use RCV for municipal elections; preliminary elections for local offices shall not be held in such municipalities.

  • How ranked choice voting works (in the local option)

    • Elections may be used for offices with a single winner or multiple winners.
    • Elections are tabulated in rounds using the Single Transferable Vote (STV) method.
    • Winning thresholds are based on the number of countable votes and the number of seats to fill.
    • The ordinance/by-law must specify:
    • How the winning threshold is calculated.
    • How candidates with the fewest votes are eliminated in each round.
    • How ballots for eliminated candidates are transferred to the next valid choice.
    • How ties are resolved.
    • How mismarked or skipped rankings are counted.
    • How votes above the threshold are transferred to alternate choices in multi-winner elections.

  • Activation and governance

    • Adoption process: by ballot measure, ordinance/by-law, or charter amendment, with input from the registrar of voters and the city/town clerk or election commissioners.
    • Requires a voter education and outreach campaign to familiarize voters with RCV.
    • A ballot must allow voters to rank at least one write-in candidate, ensuring write-ins remain possible.

  • Transition and opt-out/return

    • Not sooner than four years after acceptance, a city or town may revert to its prior voting method via ballot measure, ordinance/by-law, or charter amendment.

Who is affected

  • Municipalities: cities and towns in Massachusetts may choose to adopt RCV for local elections.
  • Voters: gain the option to rank candidates in municipal races; ballots must support at least one write-in ranking.
  • Election officials: registrars of voters and city/town clerks or election commissioners, who must implement the new framework and provide education.
  • Candidates and campaigns: must understand the RCV process, rounds, and transfer mechanics.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Bill status: Introduced March 10, 2025; referred to the Committee on Election Laws; House concurred on March 10, 2025 (indicating agreement with the Senate-passed version).
  • Legislative path: The bill would become law only if the local option is accepted by a municipality through one of the specified mechanisms (ballot measure, ordinance/by-law, or charter amendment).
  • Effective date: Not specified in detail; the bill provides a four-year window after acceptance to revert to the prior method, via the same or similar avenues.

Overall impact

If enacted and adopted by a municipality, this bill would enable municipalities to conduct elections using ranked choice voting, potentially changing how winners are determined, how ballots are counted, and how voter education is conducted. The local option approach preserves existing voting methods unless and until a municipality votes to switch to RCV.

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

Sign in to ask a question.