Source: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/2004/bills/intro/S-022.HTM
Timestamp: 2018-11-18 02:20:24
Document Index: 404872962

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 47', '§ 2587', '§ 47', '§ 47', '§ 47', '§ 47', '§ 47']

Introduced by Senator Bartlett of Lamoille County, Senator Ayer of Addison County, Senator Condos of Chittenden County, Senator Kittell of Franklin County, Senator Lyons of Chittenden County and Senator Miller of Chittenden County
Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to establish an instant runoff method of casting, sorting, and counting votes to promote the election of statewide offices by a majority of votes. Elections for United States senator, United States representative, and electors for United States president would also be conducted and tabulated by the instant runoff method.
AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTION OF STATEWIDE AND NATIONAL OFFICES BY THE INSTANT RUNOFF VOTING METHOD
* * * Instant Runoff Voting Method * * *
(c) The legislature further finds that:
(1) A voting system known as “preferential voting” in Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, and popularly known as “instant runoff voting,” which has been used for governmental elections for over 80 years in Australia, as well as in the Republic of Ireland and in England, can fulfill these goals of majority rule, with direct popular election.
(2) The legislative canvassing committee established in accordance with Chapter II, § 47 of the Vermont Constitution would be assisted, in determining which candidate had received “the major part of the votes” through an instant runoff recount conducted by the court-appointed recount committee in cases where the majority choice of the voters is not initially apparent from the count of first choices alone.
(3) Even in cases where there is still no majority winner after the court’s instant runoff vote tabulation, the legislators could benefit from the court’s instant runoff recount in carrying out its constitutional obligation to elect state officers when there has been no election by the voters.
(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 2472 of this title to the contrary, the instant runoff method shall be used in all general election contests for the following offices when three or more candidates have qualified to have their names printed on the ballot for that office: governor, lieutenant governor, treasurer, secretary of state, auditor of accounts, attorney general, U.S. senator, U.S. representative, president, and vice president.
(e) Where a percentage of the vote is referenced in subsection 1904(a), subdivision 2103(23), and section 2601 of this title, the percentage of the vote shall mean the percentage of first choices.
Sec. 5. 17 V.S.A. § 2587(a) and (b) are amended to read:
(a) In counting ballots, election officials shall attempt to ascertain the intent of the voter, as expressed by his or her markings on the ballot. If it is impossible to determine the intent of the voter for any office or public question, the ballot shall be counted as blank or spoiled, as the case may be, for that office or question; but that determination shall not control any other office or question on the ballot for which the voter’s intent can be determined. If they have any doubt about the intent of the voter or any other question about a ballot, the election officials counting the ballot shall bring it to the presiding officer, who shall present the question of how to treat the ballot to the assembled election officials. The decision of how to treat the ballot shall be made by majority vote of the election officials who are present.
(k) In the case of the offices of governor, lieutenant governor, treasurer, secretary of state, and auditor of accounts, and attorney general, the canvassing committee shall prepare a certificate of election but shall not sign it. The prepared certificate shall be presented to the official canvassing committee appointed by the general assembly, pursuant to Chapter II, section § 47 of the Vermont Constitution, for their its use if they desire it desires.
(4) If a candidate receives a majority of votes, the court shall issue a certificate of election. In the case of the election of governor, lieutenant governor, or treasurer, the court shall prepare the certificate of election, but shall not sign it, and forward it to the official canvassing committee appointed by the general assembly, pursuant to Chapter II, § 47 of the Vermont Constitution. With respect to any other office, the court shall prepare and sign the certificate, and deliver a certified copy to the secretary of state.
(5) If neither of the last two remaining candidates for the office of governor, lieutenant governor, or treasurer receives a majority of the votes cast, excluding blank and spoiled votes, the court shall prepare a report of no election. The report and the tabulations performed by the committee shall be forwarded to the official canvassing committee appointed by the general assembly, pursuant to Chapter II, § 47 of the Vermont Constitution, for its use in the election of the governor, lieutenant governor, or treasurer if it desires. The general assembly shall proceed to elect one of the three candidates for whom the greatest number of votes has been returned.
(6) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (5) of this subsection, if neither of the last two remaining candidates in an election for the office of secretary of state, auditor of accounts, attorney general, U.S. senator, or U.S. representative received a majority, the report and the tabulations performed by the instant runoff count committee shall be forwarded to the Washington superior court which shall issue a certificate of election to whichever of the two remaining candidates received the greatest number of votes at the conclusion of the instant runoff tabulation, and send a certified copy of the tabulation and results to the secretary of state.
(3) If there is a tie between candidates such that two or more candidates have an equal number of first choices such that more than two candidates would advance to the final round, the instant runoff method shall be used to determine which two candidates shall advance as the two candidates in the final round of counting.
The canvassing committee of the general assembly appointed in accordance with Chapter II, § 47 of the Vermont Constitution retains the option of directly sorting and counting the votes for governor, lieutenant governor, and treasurer using the instant runoff method set forth in section 2593 of this title. The municipal clerks, county clerks, secretary of state, and state police shall provide such assistance and cooperation as may be required if the canvassing committee of the general assembly decides to conduct a direct sorting and counting of the votes as provided in Chapter II, § 47 of the Vermont Constitution.
This act shall take effect on January 1, 2004, and shall apply to the 2004 general election and subsequent general elections.