Elections: ranked voting.

Existing law provides procedures for the nomination of candidates for elective offices in general law cities. It specifies the procedures for the conduct of the election, the canvass of ballots, and certification of persons elected to office. Related provisions require the holding of a runoff election if no candidate has been elected at the municipal election. Existing law provides that a vacancy in an elective office may be filled by appointment at a special election or at the next regular municipal election. Under existing law, the Secretary of State is the chief elections officer of the state and is required to administer the provisions of the Elections Code. This bill would authorize the Secretary of State to approve not more than 12 cities or counties, in total, to conduct a local election using ranked voting if specified conditions are met. The bill would specify requirements for using ranked voting in both a single-candidate election and a multiple-candidate election. The bill would require local elections officials to make certain reports relating to ranked voting elections and would also require those cities and counties to report on the success of conducting those elections to the Legislative Analyst, who would be required to report to the Legislature and make recommendations on the ranked voting elections. The bill would end the authority of cities and counties to adopt ranked voting on January 1, 2019, unless a later statute enacted prior to January 1, 2019, deletes or extends that date, but would allow such elections to be conducted until January 1, 2024.