WHB/3/6
Sponsored by Katelyn Green, Sonia Kripalani of Ravenwood High School
This legislation was filed in the Human Services category
Presented as part of the YIG Volunteer 2024 conference
| 1 | BE IT ENACTED BY THE TENNESSEE YMCA YOUTH IN GOVERNMENT |
| 2 | |
| 3 | Section I: Terms in this act will be defined as follows: |
| 4 | Instant runoff voting (or ranked choice voting) - a method of casting and tabulating votes in |
| 5 | which: |
| 6 | (1) Voters rank candidates in order of preference; |
| 7 | (2) Tabulation proceeds in rounds such that in each round either a candidate or candidates are |
| 8 | elected or the last-place candidate is defeated; |
| 9 | (3) Votes are transferred from elected or defeated candidates to the voters' next-ranked candidate |
| 10 | or candidates in order of preference; and |
| 11 | (4) Tabulation ends when a candidate receives the majority of votes cast or the number of |
| 12 | candidates elected equals the number of offices to be filled, as applicable; and |
| 13 | Local government - an incorporated city or town, a county, a metropolitan form of government, a |
| 14 | school, utility, or other regional or local district, or a unit of government that is governed by one |
| 15 | (1) or more elected officials. |
| 16 | |
| 17 | Section II: In 2022, Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Chapter 8 was amended by adding Title 2, |
| 18 | Chapter 8, Section 117, effectively prohibiting the use of instant runoff voting or ranked choice |
| 19 | voting to conduct an election in this state for a statewide or local government office. Previously, |
| 20 | instant runoff voting was utilized in the Tennessee city of Memphis, starting in 2008. Instant runoff |
| 21 | voting is popular among voters in Tennessee as it allows for faster, cheaper, and more democratic |
| 22 | elections. |
| 23 | |
| 24 | Section III: Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Chapter 8, is amended by repealing Title 2, |
| 25 | Chapter 8, Section 117. |
| 26 | |
| 27 | Section IV: This act permits county election commissions to utilize instant runoff voting or ranked |
| 28 | choice voting to conduct an election in the state of Tennessee for statewide or local government |
| 29 | elections. |
| 30 | |
| 31 | Section V: This act will not require funding from the state budget and has the potential to reduce |
| 32 | government spending by cutting additional costs that result from consecutive runoff elections. |
| 33 | |
| 34 | Section VI: All laws or parts of laws in conflict with this act are hereby revoked. |
| 35 | |
| 36 | Section VII: This act shall take effect immediately upon passage, the public welfare requiring it. |
| 37 |