SP0540, LD 1663, item 2, Document Text

Amend the bill by striking out all of section 2 and inserting the following:

‘Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §601, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1993, c. 473, §11 and affected by §46, is further amended to read:

1. Arrangement. The ballots must be arranged in a manner that is as consistent and uniform as possible throughout the State , except that ranked-choice contests must be grouped together and may be presented on the same page of the ballot as contests other than ranked-choice contests or on a separate ballot or ballot page from contests other than ranked-choice contests.’

Amend the bill by striking out all of section 4.

Amend the bill by striking out all of section 6 and inserting the following:

‘Sec. 6. 21-A MRSA §696, sub-§2, ¶A, as amended by PL 2009, c. 253, §32, is further amended to read:

A. If Except as provided in section 723-A for elections determined by ranked-choice voting, if a voter marks more names for an office than there are vacancies to be filled or more choices for a question than are permitted, the voter's vote for that office or question may not be counted.’

Amend the bill in section 7 in §700 in the first paragraph in the last 2 lines (page 2, lines 13 and 14 in L.D.) by striking out the following: " the unofficial results include only the first choice votes cast" and inserting the following: ' an election official shall post a paper copy of the results of the first choice votes cast'

Amend the bill in section 13 in subsection 2 in the first line (page 3, line 23 in L.D.) by striking out the following: " subsections subsection 3 and 4" and inserting the following: 'subsections 3 and 4'

Amend the bill by striking out all of section 15 and inserting the following:

‘Sec. 15. 21-A MRSA §723-A, sub-§4, as enacted by IB 2015, c. 3, §5, is amended to read:

4. Modification of ranked-choice voting ballot and ranked-choice voting count. Modification of a ranked-choice voting ballot and tabulation ranked-choice voting count is permitted in accordance with the following.

A. The number of allowable rankings may be limited to no fewer than 6 5.

B. Two or more candidates may be defeated simultaneously by batch elimination in any round of tabulation counting.

Sec. 16. 21-A MRSA §723-A, sub-§5-A, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 316, §10, is amended to read:

5-A. Rules. The Secretary of State shall adopt rules for the proper and efficient administration of elections determined by ranked-choice voting. At a minimum, rules required under this subsection must include procedures, as determined appropriate by the Secretary of State, for requesting and conducting recounts of the results as determined in the rounds of tabulation counting described in subsection 2. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined by Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.’

Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.

SUMMARY

This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, makes several technical changes to the bill and clarifies that the Secretary of State has discretion to determine whether ranked-choice contests should appear on the same ballot page as or on a different ballot page from contests that are not subject to ranked-choice voting. The amendment also clarifies that a voter's decision to rank more than one candidate for a single office does not render the voter's vote invalid in an election determined by ranked-choice voting. The amendment further requires that an election official post a paper copy of the results of the first choice votes cast in elections determined by ranked-choice voting, if a secure place is available at the voting place or municipal office where the public may view the election results.

FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED

(See attached)

SP0540 LD 1663	Session - 129th Maine Legislature C "A", Filing Number S-194, Sponsored by		LR 2285 Item 2
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