I

104TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 2545

To provide that a State that uses a system of limited voting, cumulative

voting, or preference voting may establish multi-member congressional

districts.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

OCTOBER 26, 1995

Ms. MCKINNEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To provide that a State that uses a system of limited voting,

cumulative voting, or preference voting may establish

multi-member congressional districts.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Voters’ Choice Act’’.

5 SEC. 2. MULTI-MEMBER DISTRICTS PERMITTED FOR ELEC6 TION OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR STATES

7 WITH CERTAIN VOTING SYSTEMS.

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding Public Law 90–

9 196 (2 U.S.C. 2c), a State that is entitled to more than
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1 one Representative in Congress may establish a number

2 of districts for election of Representatives that is less than

3 the number of Representatives to which the State is enti4 tled, if and only if that State uses a system of limited

5 voting, a system of cumulative voting, or a system of pref6 erence voting in its multi-member districts.

7 (b) LIMITED VOTING DESCRIBED.—Limited voting is

8 a system in which a voter may not cast a number of votes

9 that is more than one-half the number of Representatives

10 to be elected.

11 (c) CUMULATIVE VOTING DESCRIBED.—Cumulative

12 voting is a system in which a voter may cast a number

13 of votes up to the number of Representatives to be elected,

14 and the voter may distribute those votes, including frac15 tions of votes, in any combination, including all votes for

16 one candidate.

17 (d) PREFERENCE VOTING DESCRIBED.—Preference

18 voting is a system in which a voter ranks the candidates

19 and candidates win by reaching a required threshold of

20 votes. After totaling first-place votes, all candidates who

21 have reached the threshold are declared elected. Votes in

22 excess of the threshold are transferred to the voters’ next23 choice candidates: either some votes at full value or all

24 votes at an equally reduced value. When no candidate is

25 above the threshold and all seats have yet to be filled, the
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1 candidate with the fewest top-ranked votes is eliminated,

2 and all of the candidate’s votes are transferred to the next3 choice candidates at full value. Voters may rank can4 didates equally. When candidates are so ranked, the value

5 of the ballot is divided equally among such candidates. The

6 threshold is calculated as—

7 (1) votes divided by the number of Representa8 tives to be elected;

9 (2) votes divided by the number of Representa10 tives to be elected plus one, plus one vote; or

11 (3) any number between the number calculated

12 under paragraph (1) and the number calculated

13 under paragraph (2).

14 (e) EQUALITY REQUIREMENT.—In a State that uses

15 districts in a system of limited voting, a system of cumu16 lative voting, or a system of preference voting, the number

17 of residents per Representative in a district shall be equal

18 for all Representatives elected.

19 (f) SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS ALLOWED.—A State

20 may use single-member districts alone or in combination

21 with multi-member districts.

22 SEC. 3. RELATION TO VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965.

23 The rights and remedies established by this Act are

24 in addition to all other rights and remedies provided by

25 law, and the rights and remedies established by this Act
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1 shall not supersede, restrict, or limit the application of the

2 Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973 et seq.). Noth3 ing in this Act authorizes or requires conduct that is pro4 hibited by the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973

5 et seq.).

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