Top-five primaries and instant runoff voting for the offices of U.S. senator and U.S. representative in Congress. (FE)

This bill provides that electors may vote in the primary for U.S. senator and representative in Congress for any candidate regardless of party affiliation, and the five persons who receive the greatest numbers of votes for each such office are nominated to appear on the general election ballot. Under the bill, independent candidates for such offices and candidates of minor parties appear on the top-five primary ballot, and electors may vote for these candidates in the same manner as other candidates.

Instant runoff voting for certain national offices in general elections This bill requires instant runoff voting at the general election for U.S. senator and representative in Congress. Under instant runoff voting, voters uses a ranked-choice voting ballot and have the option to cast their vote for each office in order of preference. If a voter ranks more than one candidate for an office, the voter must indicate a preference between the candidates by designating one as “first choice," another as “second choice," and subsequent choices in sequential preference.

A voter may also indicate as one of their preferences one or more write-in candidates for any office.

If any candidate receives a majority of the first-choice preferences cast, that candidate is elected. If no candidate receives a majority of the first-choice preferences for an office or seat, the name of the candidate receiving the least number of first-choice preferences is dropped, and the second-choice preferences of the voters who preferred that candidate, if any, are then added to the first-choice preferences received by the other candidates. If any candidate for the office or seat then has a majority of the combined first-choice and reallocated preferences, that candidate is elected. If not, the procedure is repeated until one candidate receives a majority of the combined first-choice and reallocated preferences.