SB1009: Elections; conduct of election, ranked choice voting, report.

Legislative Summary

Elections; conduct of election; ranked choice voting; report. Makes the decision to conduct an election by ranked choice voting subject to a determination of feasibility by the State Board of Elections. The bill provides procedures for tabulating and reporting results of elections conducted using ranked choice voting, including procedures for duplicating damaged or defective ballots. The bill requires the State Board of Elections to provide standards for and to approve vote tabulating software for use with existing voting systems in elections conducted by ranked choice voting and to produce generalized voter education materials on ranked choice voting. The bill permits the State Board of Elections to create and modify recount procedures to the extent necessary to accommodate a recount of an election conducted by ranked choice voting. Finally, the bill directs the Department of Elections to review the testing and approval framework for voting equipment in the Commonwealth and submit a report of such review no later than the first day of the 2026 Regular Session of the General Assembly.