Ranked choice voting for local offices authorization, establishment of procedures for adoption, implementation, and usage of ranked choice voting for local jurisdictions, and appropriation

SF 1815 authorizes Minnesota local jurisdictions (like cities and counties) to adopt ranked choice voting for local elections, such as mayoral or city council races. The bill establishes procedures for communities to implement the system, defines key terms like "active candidate" and "batch elimination," and allows electronic voting systems with reallocation features. It specifies that ranked choice voting requires voters to rank candidates by preference, with ballots transferring support to higher-ranked candidates if lower-ranked ones are eliminated. The bill applies only to local offices, not state or federal elections, and amends election statutes to incorporate these changes. Local governments would need to pass their own ordinances to adopt the system.