Signed by Governor Bill Ritter, Jr.

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that allows local governments to use ranked voting methods, such as instant runoff voting, in elections.

Highlights:

- Requires local governments that opt to utilize ranked voting methods for an election to allow voters to rank not less than three choices (Sec. 2). - Specifies that when ranked voting is used in contests in which one candidate is elected to office, the process shall be known as instant runoff voting, and that the ballots shall be counted in a series of rounds and during each round the candidate with the smallest number of votes shall be eliminated -- with this process being repeated until only two candidates remain or one candidate has more votes than the combined vote total of all other candidates (Sec. 2). - Requires local governments that conduct elections using ranked voting methods to perform voter education campaigns to familiarize citizens with the ranked voting process and to post instructions for ranked voting at polling places and include instructions with mail-in ballots (Sec. 2). - Requires the Secretary of State to submit a report to the legislature, no later than February 15, 2011, that assesses any local elections through November, 2010, that used ranked voting methods and that recommends any legislation, equipment, or procedures that would be necessary to implement ranked voting as a permanent alternative election method in local, state, and federal elections (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that allows local governments to use ranked voting methods, such as instant runoff voting, in elections.

Highlights:

- Requires local governments that opt to utilize ranked voting methods for an election to allow voters to rank not less than three choices (Sec. 2). - Specifies that when ranked voting is used in contests in which one candidate is elected to office, the process shall be known as instant runoff voting, and that the ballots shall be counted in a series of rounds and during each round the candidate with the smallest number of votes shall be eliminated -- with this process being repeated until only two candidates remain or one candidate has more votes than the combined vote total of all other candidates (Sec. 2). - Requires local governments that conduct elections using ranked voting methods to perform voter education campaigns to familiarize citizens with the ranked voting process and to post instructions for ranked voting at polling places and include instructions with mail-in ballots (Sec. 2). - Requires the Secretary of State to submit a report to the legislature, no later than February 15, 2011, that assesses any local elections through November, 2010, that used ranked voting methods and that recommends any legislation, equipment, or procedures that would be necessary to implement ranked voting as a permanent alternative election method in local, state, and federal elections (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes ranked voting methods as legal election processes.

Highlights:

-Requires the secretary of state to submit no later than February 15, 2011 to select committees of the House and Senate a report that includes an assessment of previous elections using ranked voting methods and suggestions for what legislation, equipment, and procedures would be necessary to implement ranked voting as a permanent alternative election method (Sec. 2). -Requires that voters be allowed to rank as many choices as there are candidates, and specifies methods for vote counting in elections for multiple and single seat offices (Sec. 2). -Requires any local government that conducts an election using a ranked voting method to conduct a voter education and outreach campaign that will familiarize electors with the ranked voting process (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text