HB 600 Talking Points

REASONS TO SUPPORT HB 600

 

  • It’s a nonpartisan bill with bi-partisan support. 

  • HB 600 is only an enabling bill that in itself does not establish ranked choice voting, but only enables municipalities (for local municipal elections) to take the steps necessary to opt-in, if they so choose. 

  • The state should not dictate to municipalities, but should give them options to run their local elections the way they see fit. 

  • This doesn’t impose anything on anyone. It simply allows municipalities to opt-in to use RCV for municipal elections, if they so choose (by following their own procedures to get it passed at the local level, such as by passing a warrant article, and then formally notifying the secretary of state at least 90 days before said election); 

  • A municipality that wants to opt-in to RCV can choose which municipal election(s) they wish to opt-in for, as well as for which offices they wish to opt-in. 

  • After having opted in, municipalities can opt out using the same procedures (& by notifying the SoS at least 90 days before the election).

  • A choice to opt-in by one municipality would not bind or have any effect on any other municipality.

  • The electoral landscape in any given municipality is constantly in flux: the circumstances, the divisions, the number of potential candidates, etc. are prone to changing at any time. Many municipalities will be glad to have the OPTION IN CASE if they want to exercise it. If they decide not to use it, that is fine, but they won't want to be in the position where they realize they really want to use RCV, only to find that it's too late to start from square one to get a bill passed. 

  • RCV is very popular in the towns and cities that use it around the country. Recently, RCV passed for use at the local level in every city/town that had it on its ballot for local elections. As of November 2024, RCV is reaching 51 American jurisdictions that are home to nearly 14 million voters. That includes 2 state-wide uses, 3 county-wide, and 46 city-wide uses. Military and overseas voters cast RCV ballots in federal runoff elections in 6 states and 1 city. 

  • The way in which cities and towns use RCV in their local municipal elections is up to them, but some towns and cities have opted to save money by using RCV in one election instead of holding both a preliminary and a runoff election. Turnout usually drops in runoff elections, and RCV helps ensure better turnout.