Voter Choice Act of 2005 - Authorizes a state entitled to more than one Representative in Congress to establish a number of districts for election of Representatives that is less than the number of Representatives to which the state is entitled, as long as the Representatives are elected: (1) under a system meeting the constitutional standard of majority rule and of individuals having equal voting power; (2) the system ensures the election of any candidate in a multiseat district who receives a share of votes cast that is at least one vote greater than one-third of the total number of votes cast in the district; and (3) the number of residents per Representative is equal for all Representatives elected in the state.
Requires each state to conduct general elections for federal office held in the state during 2008 and each succeeding year using an instant runoff voting system, and ensure that the voting equipment and technology used to conduct the elections is compatible with such a system.
Establishes a program under which the Election Assistance Commission shall make grants to eligible states to defray the costs of administering an instant runoff voting system or a proportional voting system.
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2690 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2690
To provide that a State may use a proportional voting system for
multiseat congressional districts, to require the use of instant runoff
voting in certain elections for Federal office, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 26, 2005
Ms. McKinney introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on House
Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide that a State may use a proportional voting system for
multiseat congressional districts, to require the use of instant runoff
voting in certain elections for Federal office, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Voter Choice Act of 2005''.
TITLE I--PERMITTING USE OF MULTISEAT DISTRICTS FOR HOUSE ELECTIONS
SEC. 101. MULTISEAT DISTRICTS PERMITTED FOR ELECTION OF REPRESENTATIVES
FOR STATES WITH A PROPORTIONAL VOTING SYSTEM.
(a) In General.--Notwithstanding the Act entitled ``An Act for the
relief of Doctor Ricardo Vallejo Samala and to provide for
congressional redistricting'', approved December 14, 1967 (Public Law
90-196; 2 U.S.C. 2c), a State that is entitled to more than one
Representative in Congress may establish a number of districts for
election of Representatives that is less than the number of
Representatives to which the State is entitled so long as
Representatives are elected under a system which meets the following
conditions:
(1) The system meets the constitutional standard of
majority rule and of individuals having equal voting power.
(2) The system ensures the election of any candidate in a
multiseat district who receives a share of votes cast that is
at least one vote greater than one-third of the total number of
votes cast in the district.
(3) The number of residents per Representative is equal for
all Representatives elected in the State.
(b) No Restriction on Selection.--Nothing in subsection (a)(2) may
be construed to prohibit a State from using a system under which a
candidate may be elected with less than one-third of the total votes
cast in a multiseat district.
(c) Single-Seat Districts Permitted in States Using Multiseat
Districts.--A State establishing multiseat districts under this title
may establish such districts for the election of all Representatives in
the State or in combination with one or more single-seat districts.
SEC. 102. RELATION TO VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965.
The rights and remedies established by this title are in addition
to all other rights and remedies provided by law, and the rights and
remedies established by this title shall not supersede, restrict, or
limit the application of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973
et seq.). Nothing in this title authorizes or requires conduct that is
prohibited by the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973 et seq.).
TITLE II--INSTANT RUNOFF VOTING FOR FEDERAL ELECTIONS
SEC. 201. REQUIRING USE OF INSTANT RUNOFF VOTING FOR GENERAL ELECTIONS
FOR FEDERAL OFFICE.
(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law and
except as provided in subsection (b), each State shall conduct general
elections for Federal office held in the State during 2008 and each
succeeding year using an instant runoff voting system, and shall ensure
that the voting equipment and technology used to conduct the elections
is compatible with such a system.
(b) Exception for House Elections in Multiseat Districts.--
Subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to any election for the
office of Member of the House of Representatives which is held in a
multiseat district (as provided in title I).
(c) Definitions.--In this title, the following definitions apply:
(1) The term ``Federal office'' has the meaning given such
term in section 301(3) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of
1971 (2 U.S.C. 431(3)).
(2) The term ``instant runoff voting system'' means a
system for the election of candidates under which--
(A) runoff counts of candidates are conducted in
rounds;
(B) voters may rank candidates on the ballot
according to the order of preference;
(C) if in any round no candidate receives a
majority of the votes cast, the candidate with the
fewest number of votes is eliminated and the remaining
candidates advance to the next round;
(D) in each round, a voter shall be considered to
have cast one vote for the candidate the voter ranked
highest on the ballot who has not been eliminated; and
(E) the runoff counts are carried out automatically
at the time the votes are cast and tabulated.
(3) The term ``State'' means each of the several States,
the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,
American Samoa, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands.
SEC. 202. GRANTS TO STATES TO DEFRAY COSTS OF ADMINISTERING INSTANT
RUNOFF VOTING SYSTEM.
(a) Establishment of Grant Program.--There is established a program
under which the Election Assistance Commission (hereafter in this title
referred to as the ``Commission'') shall make grants to eligible States
to defray the costs of administering an instant runoff voting system or
a proportional voting system, including the costs of purchasing voting
equipment, software, and other technology necessary for such a system.
(b) Plan for Program.--Not later than 60 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Commission shall develop and make public a
plan describing the criteria to be used in the solicitation and
approval of applications for grants under this title and the criteria
to be used in overseeing the use of funds provided under such grants,
except that under such criteria the Commission may not require a State
to match any portion of the amount awarded as a condition of
eligibility.
(c) Eligibility of States.--
(1) In general.--A State is eligible to receive a grant
under the program under this section if it submits to the
Commission (in such form and manner as the Commission may
require) an application containing such information and
assurances as the Commission may require.
(2) Deadline for application.--The Commission may not
consider an application for a grant under this section unless
the application is submitted prior to the expiration of the 60-
day period which begins on the date the Commission makes public
the plan developed under subsection (b).
(3) Deadline for response.--The Commission shall approve or
reject an application submitted under this subsection not later
than 120 days after receiving the application.
(4) Criteria for rejection.--The Commission may not reject
an application submitted under this subsection unless it finds
that--
(A) the equipment, software, or other technology
used to administer elections in the State is not
compatible with an instant runoff voting system or a
proportional voting system; or
(B) the State does not provide for appropriate
education for voters, poll workers, and election
officials in the use of an instant runoff voting system
or a proportional voting system.
(d) Cap on Amount of Grant.--The amount of any grant awarded to a
State under the program under this section may not exceed the product
of--
(1) the number of residents in the State at the time the
grant is awarded (based on the most recent decennial census);
and
(2) $12.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out the program under this section--
(1) $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; and
(2) such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2007 and
each succeeding fiscal year.
SEC. 203. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER LAWS.
Nothing in this title may be construed to supersede or conflict
with the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973aa et seq.) or the
National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg et seq.).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution.
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