HF3724

Purpose

• The bill aims to prohibit ranked-choice voting in Minnesota elections. It would add a prohibition to Minnesota Statutes chapter 200, preventing the use or adoption of ranked-choice voting for federal, state, and local offices.

Main Provisions

• Subd.1. Federal and state offices: Ranked-choice voting or any voting method similar to ranked-choice voting must not be used for any federal or state office.

• Subd.2. Local offices: A political subdivision must not adopt or enforce any rule, resolution, or ordinance that establishes ranked-choice voting or any voting method similar to ranked-choice voting for local offices. A political subdivision includes all counties, cities, townships, and school districts in Minnesota, regardless of whether they are governed by statute or by a home rule charter.

• Subd.3. Definition: Ranked-choice voting means any election method in which a voter ranks or assigns a numerical value to candidates for an office in order of the voter’s preference.

Signficant Changes to Existing Law

• Creates a new prohibition in Minnesota Statutes chapter 200 that bans ranked-choice voting for all elections in the state.
• Applies to federal, state, and local offices, and to all political subdivisions (counties, cities, townships, school districts) regardless of their form of governance (statutory or home rule charter).
• Clarifies the exact meaning of ranked-choice voting by providing a formal definition to be used in enforcing the prohibition.

Relevant terms (from bill text and implied impact) - ranked-choice voting - ranked-choice voting prohibition - voting method similar to ranked-choice voting - federal offices - state offices - local offices - political subdivision - counties - cities - townships - school districts - Minnesota Statutes chapter 200 - definition of ranked-choice voting - rule/resolution/ordinance (as used to implement voting methods)

Relevant Terms - ranked-choice voting - voting method - political subdivision - counties - cities - townships - school districts - Minnesota Statutes chapter 200 - prohibition - federal offices - state offices - local offices - home rule charter - rule/resolution/ordinance - ranking candidates - numerical value to candidates - order of preference