New Hope Lawmaker Authors Ranked-Choice Voting Bill

A Twin Cities northwest metro lawmaker has proposed legislation to allow cities to adopt ranked-choice voting if they so choose.

Rep. Cedrick Frazier, DFL-New Hope, is chief author of the “Local Voices, Local Choices Act.”

Ranked-choice voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. Election results are then tabulated in a series of rounds, eliminating candidates based on the strength of voter rankings until candidates reach an established threshold of votes necessary for election. 

Rep. Frazier said the bill is “essential essential to dismantling the toxicity and divisive systems that have historically excluded marginalized communities in our elections.”

“By empowering local governments to decide what system of voting works best for their community, they can enhance the involvement of historically underrepresented and underserved communities in the informed decision-making process which ultimately benefits all Minnesotans,” he said.

Under current law, only charter cities with odd-year elections have the ability to adopt ranked-choice voting.

The Minnesota House Elections Committee recently passed the bill on a party-line vote and referred it to the State and Local Government Committee.

The bill faces a March 22 deadline to make it out of committee hearings.

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