Voter Choice Act
Bill: S.2939 | Sponsor: Sen. Bennet, Michael F. (D-CO)
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics

Summary:
Voter Choice Act
This bill directs the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to establish a program to support state and local governments in the transition to ranked choice voting (a system in which voters rank candidates in order of preference).
Specifically, the EAC must provide technical assistance to state and local governments that are considering whether to make, or that are in the process of making, the transition to a ranked choice voting system for their elections.
The EAC must also award grants to support such transition, including through the acquisition of voting equipment and tabulation software, appropriate ballot design, educational materials, and voter outreach.

To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to support State and local 
        governments making a transition to ranked choice voting.

    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''.

SEC. 2. ASSISTANCE FOR TRANSITION TO RANKED CHOICE VOTING.

    (a) In General.--Title V of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 
U.S.C. 21121 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

               ``Subtitle B--Ranked Choice Voting Program

``SEC. 511. RANKED CHOICE VOTING PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Definition of Ranked Choice Voting System.--For purposes of 
this subtitle, the term `ranked choice voting system' means a set of 
election methods which allow each voter to rank contest options in 
order of the voter's preference, in which votes are counted in rounds 
using a series of runoff tabulations to defeat contest options with the 
fewest votes, and which elects a winner with a majority of final round 
votes in a single-winner contest and provides proportional 
representation in multi-winner contests.
    ``(b) Program.--The Commission shall establish a program under 
which the Commission--
            ``(1) provides technical assistance to State and local 
        governments that are considering whether to make, or that are 
        in the process of making, a transition to a ranked choice 
        voting system for Federal, State, or local elections; and
            ``(2) awards grants to States and local government to 
        support the transition to a ranked choice voting system, 
        including through the acquisition of voting equipment and 
        tabulation software, appropriate ballot design, the development 
        and publication of educational materials, and voter outreach.
    ``(c) Rules for Grants.--
            ``(1) Selection of grant recipients.--To the extent 
        possible, the Commission shall award grants under subsection 
        (b)(2) to areas that represent a diversity of jurisdictions 
        with respect to geography, population characteristics, and 
        population density.
            ``(2) Award limitation.--The amount of any grant awarded 
        under subsection (b)(2) shall not exceed 50 percent of the cost 
        of the activities covered by the grant.

``SEC. 512. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``(a) In General.--In addition to any funds authorized to be 
appropriated to the Commission under section 210, there are authorized 
to be appropriated to carry out this subtitle $40,000,000 for fiscal 
year 2021.
    ``(b) Availability of Funds.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to the 
authorization under this section shall remain available, without fiscal 
year limitation, until expended.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Section 202(6) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 
        U.S.C. 20922) is amended by striking ``the Help America Vote 
        College Program under title V'' and inserting ``the programs 
        under title V''.
            (2) Title V of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 
        21121 et seq.) is amended by striking the matter preceding 
        section 501 and inserting the following:

                ``TITLE V--ELECTION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

           ``Subtitle A--Help America Vote College Program''.

            (3) Section 503 of such Act (52 U.S.C. 21123) is amended by 
        striking ``title'' and inserting ``subtitle''.
            (4) The table of sections of the Help America Vote Act of 
        2002 is amended--
                    (A) by striking the item relating to title V and 
                inserting the following:

                ``TITLE V--ELECTION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

           ``Subtitle A--Help America Vote College Program'';

                and
                    (B) by inserting after the item relating to section 
                503 the following:

               ``Subtitle B--Ranked Choice Voting Program

``Sec. 511. Ranked Choice Voting Program.
``Sec. 512. Authorization of appropriations.''.
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