SF1912

This bill, S.F. No. 1912, proposes authorizing the use of Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) for local elections in Minnesota. It establishes procedures for implementing and conducting RCV elections, allows local jurisdictions to adopt RCV for municipal, county, and school district offices, and sets requirements for the use of electronic voting systems.

Key Provisions:

1. Authorization for Local Adoption

• Home rule charter cities, statutory cities, school districts, and counties may adopt RCV starting January 1, 2026, or when administrative rules are adopted.
  
• Adoption and repeal of RCV must be approved via ballot questions presented to voters.
  
• Local jurisdictions may not use RCV in statewide elections, only in local races.
  
• If a city adopts RCV without county agreement, it must conduct the election separately from state elections.
  

2. Voting & Ballot Requirements

• Ballots must allow voters to rank at least three candidates.
  
• Instructions must be clearly provided on how to rank candidates.
  
• When combining different election types on a ballot (e.g., RCV and non-RCV elections), RCV races must be clearly separated.
  

3. Tabulation Rules for Ranked Choice Voting

• Establishes detailed multi-round vote counting rules for single-seat and multi-seat elections.
  
• Candidates with the fewest votes are eliminated in rounds, and votes reallocated to the voter's next choice until a threshold is reached.
  
• Ties are resolved by lot.
  

4. Election Administration & Reporting

• Requires precinct-level reports on first-choice votes.
  
• Requires casts vote records to be made available in jurisdictions using electronic ballots.
  
• Canvass reports must include detailed voting statistics, including total votes, undervotes, inactive ballots, and transfer summaries.
  

5. Recounts & Post-Election Audits

• Candidates defeated in the final round may request a publicly funded recount if the result is within the legal margin.
  
• A recount may also be requested by earlier eliminated candidates, but at their own expense.
  
• Requires post-election audits in randomly selected precincts to verify election integrity.
  
• Voting systems must meet federal testing standards before being certified for RCV use.
  

6. Electronic Voting System Standards

• Voting systems must:
  
  • Capture, store, and publicly report ballot data anonymously.
    
  • Process and tabulate RCV results automatically.
    
  • Alert voters about potential ballot errors (e.g., overvotes or skipped rankings).
    

7. Rulemaking Authority

• The Minnesota Secretary of State is authorized to adopt rules necessary to implement RCV.

Summary

This bill enables Minnesota jurisdictions to adopt Ranked Choice Voting for local offices while setting rules for ballots, tabulation, recounts, and electronic voting systems. It establishes uniform standards for administering RCV elections, ensuring accuracy and transparency in vote tabulation.