2022 -- S 2232

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LC004276

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL SENATE COMMISSION TO STUDY RANKED CHOICE VOTING

FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND GENERAL OFFICER PRIMARIES

     Introduced By: Senators Zurier, DiMario, Kallman, and McCaffrey

     Date Introduced: February 08, 2022

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     WHEREAS, Using Ranked Choice Voting has the potential to expand the range of

choices available to voters by allowing them to vote for candidates of their choice without

concern of giving an advantage to the candidate they least prefer and promote campaigns that are

more positive and focused on issues because candidates will seek to appeal to opponents'

supporters as a second choice; now therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That a special legislative commission be and the same is hereby created

consisting of seven (7) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the Senate, not more

than two (2) from the same political party, to be appointed by the President of the Senate; one of

whom shall be a representative of the Board of Elections, to be appointed by the President of the

Senate; one of whom shall be the Secretary of State, or designee; and two (2) of whom shall be

clerks of a city or town of this state, to be appointed by the President of the Senate.

     All members of the study commission shall be registered voters of this state at the time of

their selection and at all times while they remain on the commission.

     The purpose of said commission shall be to study the potential application of ranked

choice voting on primary elections for General Assembly and General Officer candidates,

including, but not limited to;

     • Analyzing the requirements for implementing ranked choice voting, including public

education, voting equipment and technology, ballot designs, and costs;

     • Determining the level of public support for ranked choice voting;

     • Reviewing the experience of other states in conducting elections using ranked choice

voting;

     • Providing recommended changes in the law to implement ranked choice voting;

     • Providing recommendations on making all voting systems used in the state compatible

with ranked choice voting, including a review of the availability and costs of necessary voting

equipment; and

     • Studying any other alternatives to single-ballot plurality voting the commission

considers relevant or useful.

     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at

the call of the President of the Senate, who shall appoint a Chair of the commission.

     Vacancies in the commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.

     A quorum of the commission shall consist of a majority of its membership, and the

membership of the commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

     All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,

documentary or otherwise, to the commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or desirable

by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

     The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide

suitable quarters for the commission; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the

President of the Senate on or before February 1, 2023, and the commission shall expire on July 1,

2023.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL SENATE COMMISSION TO STUDY RANKED CHOICE VOTING

FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND GENERAL OFFICER PRIMARIES

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     This resolution would create a seven (7) member commission to study ranked choice

voting for General Assembly and General Officer primaries, and would report back to the

President of the Senate on or before February 1, 2023, and would expire on July 1, 2023.

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LC004276

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