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Bill

SB 1130

Relating to: ranked-choice voting, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Kristin Dassler-Alfheim and 4 co-sponsors

Wisconsin would adopt ranked-choice voting for most elections, with rulemaking and funding to implement it, altering ballots, counting, and certification procedures.

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Bill Summary · SB 1130

Summary of SB 1130 (Session 2025, Wisconsin) — Ranked-Choice Voting, Rulemaking Authority, and Appropriation

Note: This summary presents the substantive provisions and potential impact of the bill as introduced.

1) Purpose and Intent

  • The bill proposes to require ranked-choice voting (RCV) for elections of federal, state, and local officials (with specific exceptions noted), and to grant rule-making authority to implement RCV, including funding for implementation, equipment/software updates, and education/outreach.
  • It also reorganizes and updates various election administration provisions, including canvass procedures, ballot design, notices, and related sequencing, to accommodate RCV.
  • It makes an appropriation to fund implementation, administration, and public outreach for ranked-choice voting.

2) Key Provisions and Changes

A. Ranked-Choice Voting System and Administration

  • RCV Mandate: All elections (federal, state, and local) would use ranked-choice voting, with exceptions for recall elections. Voters may rank as many candidates as appear on the ballot; write-ins may be ranked as well.
  • Single-Seat and Multi-Seat RCV:
    • For single-seat offices, a candidate with a majority of the highest-ranked (first-choice) votes wins; if no majority, the lowest-ranked are eliminated and ballots are reallocated based on next preferences until a candidate achieves a majority.
    • For multi-seat districts, seats are filled based on a threshold calculated as (total votes)/(open seats) + 1, with a method described for transferring surpluses and eliminating candidates in rounds.
  • No Traditional Primaries (With Exceptions): Primaries are largely replaced by party-level preliminaries using RCV; special primaries and presidential preference primaries still use RCV.
  • Ballot and Ballot-Content Changes: RC voting applies to presidential/vice-presidential ballots, governor/lt. governor ballots, and local offices where required. Ballots must accommodate ranking for all candidates and write-ins where permitted.
  • Tally and Canvass Procedures: New or revised procedures for counting and canvassing RC ballots, including required tallies by ranking level and explicit instructions for recounts, tie-breaks, and certification.

B. Administrative and Rulemaking Authority

  • Rulemaking: The Elections Commission is given authority to adopt rules for implementing RC voting, including form design, counting procedures, and related administrative processes.
  • Canvass and Certification: New or amended sections establish the canvass process for RC elections and specify how results are to be reported, including the inclusion of ranking data on tally sheets and canvass statements.
  • Tally and Documentation: Creation of new canvass forms and the requirement to retain tally sheets as official records.

C. Appropriations and Funding

  • Funding for RC Implementation: A new appropriation is created to cover the costs of implementing RC voting, including:
    • Updating equipment and software
    • Implementing secure technologies
    • Providing grants to counties and municipalities for RC implementation
    • Public outreach and education on RC voting

D. Ballot Design and Notices

  • Notice and Ballot Content: Revisions to notice types and ballot content to reflect RC voting; requirement for rules on the content of type B notices for RC elections and related updates to pre-election and post-election notices.
  • Pollbook and Ballot Layout: Adjustments to ballot arrangement and the display of candidate names and party designations in RC contexts.

E. Repeals and Renumbering

  • Repeals several existing provisions and renumbers others to align with the RC framework (e.g., repealing a prior section on single-nite primary and replacing with RC-specific procedures).

F. Miscellaneous Election Administration

  • Adjustments to:
    • Ward consolidation and combined polling places for RC contexts (while preserving ward identifiers and separate returns where appropriate)
    • Canvass timelines (e.g., deadlines for canvasses in spring and other elections)
    • Reception and handling of provisional ballots, absentee ballots, and related reconciliation processes
    • Scheduling and procedural timing for special elections, primaries, and referenda under RC

3) Who and What Is Affected

  • Electoral Officials and Bodies: Wisconsin Elections Commission, county clerks, municipal clerks, boards of canvassers, and election commissioners are impacted by new RC procedures, forms, and rulemaking responsibilities.
  • Voters: Voters would be able to rank candidates for all offices on RC ballots, including write-ins where permitted.
  • Counties/Municipalities: Local jurisdictions would receive grants and guidance for equipment/software updates and education campaigns; RC administration would require potential modifications to polling locations and ballot printing.
  • Political Parties: Partisan primaries and presidential preference processes would be administered using RC, altering ballot order and counting dynamics.

4) Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Implementation Timeline: The bill establishes RC as the default method for most elections, with rulemaking authority and funding to support transition. Specific dates are tied to elections calendars (e.g., primaries, spring elections, general elections) and the timing of rule adoption by the Elections Commission.
  • Counting and Certification Deadlines: RC-specific tally, transfer, and tie-breaking procedures are codified, including requirements for ongoing rounds of counting and explicit tie-breaking rules.
  • Appeals and Overrides: The RC framework includes defined methods (e.g., “continuing candidates,” surplus transfer, and exhaustion rules) to resolve outcomes when no clear majority exists in a round.

If you’d like, I can provide a side-by-side comparison with current Wisconsin election law to highlight all substantive shifts introduced by SB 1130.

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

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