Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing that the Senate is made more representative by adding twelve Senators to be elected nationwide through ranked choice voting, and providing for twelve Electors at-large for President and Vice President, who shall cast their ballots for the respective winners of the national popular vote.

Bill: 118-hjres-23
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6]
Introduced: 2023-01-31
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Congressional elections

Constitution and constitutional amendments

Elections, voting, political campaign regulation

Senate

State and local government operations
Latest action: action_date: 2023-01-31
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-01-31
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to (1) add 12 Senators at-large to the Senate, who shall be elected nationwide through ranked choice voting (a system in which voters rank candidates in order of preference); and (2) provide for 12 Electors at-large, who shall cast their ballots for the presidential and vice-presidential candidates having receiving the greatest number of votes cast by U.S. citizens.</p>

tv_txt: IA 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. J. RES. 23 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 31, 2023 Mr. Casten (for himself and Mr. Blumenauer ) submitted the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary JOINT RESOLUTION Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing that the Senate is made more representative by adding twelve Senators to be elected nationwide through ranked choice voting, and providing for twelve Electors at-large for President and Vice President, who shall cast their ballots for the respective winners of the national popular vote.

That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States: — 1. In addition to the Senators from each of the several States, the Senate of the United States shall be composed of twelve Senators at-large, who shall be elected by the People of the United States for six years, and each Senator at-large shall have one vote. Senators at-large shall meet the same age and citizenship requirements as the Senators from each of the several States. 2. Senators at-large shall be elected using a nationwide system of ranked choice voting, under which each eligible elector may rank the candidates for office in the order of the elector’s preference. Each elector’s ranking shall hold equal weight in the determination of winning candidates. Seats of the Senators at-large shall be divided equally among the three Classes of Senate seats, so that one-third may be chosen every second year. Except as provided in section four of this article, all candidates shall appear on a single ballot, with the number of winning candidates being equal to the number of seats of Senators at-large then up for election. The first election of Senators at-large shall occur no later than the second regularly scheduled general election for Federal office following the date of the ratification of this article. 3. An eligible elector shall include any United States citizen who is eighteen years of age or older; who has registered to vote by the deadline of the citizen’s State of residence; and who otherwise meets the eligibility requirements, as set by the citizen’s State of residence, for voting in a general election for Federal office. 4. Within thirty days of the seat of a Senator at-large becoming vacant, the President shall fill the vacancy by appointing a Senator at-large of the same political party as the departing incumbent. If the seat is not up for election at the next regularly scheduled general election for Federal office, a special election shall be held to determine who shall serve the remainder of the term. Such special election shall coincide with the next regularly scheduled general election for Federal office, and candidates for the seat shall appear on a ballot separate from that of the other seats of Senators at-large then up for election. 5. The election of Senators at-large shall be administered by each of the several States. Each State shall submit all ballots cast within its jurisdiction to such Federal entity as Congress shall by law provide, which shall collect and count the ballots and announce the winners. 6. References in this article to the States and the electors thereof shall apply in the same manner to United States territories and the electors thereof and to the District constituting the seat of Government of the United States and the electors thereof. 7. In addition to the Electors for President and Vice President appointed by each of the several States, there shall be twelve Electors at-large, who shall be appointed in such manner as Congress shall by law provide. Electors at-large shall hold the same powers and duties of Electors for President and Vice President, except that Electors at-large shall meet in the District constituting the seat of Government of the United States, where they shall cast their ballots for the presidential and vice-presidential candidates having received the greatest number of votes cast by citizens of the United States. Electors at-large shall be included in determining the whole number of Electors appointed for the purposes of the twelfth article of amendment. 8. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation, including by providing for the procedures under which the nationwide system of ranked choice voting, required by section two, shall be conducted. .