KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to District of Columbia

B26-0539 • 2025

Ranked Choice Voting Implementation Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Ranked Choice Voting Implementation Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Elections
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Bonds
Last action
2025-12-16
Official status
Under Council Review
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on whether the council will review the bill after 90 days, only that it is an emergency amendment act with a limited duration.

Clarifying Ranked Choice Voting for DC Elections

This bill changes the date when ranked choice voting must start in Washington, D.C., to begin with an election after January 1, 2027.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes a law about when ranked choice voting should be used in elections.
  • Moves the start of ranked choice voting from June 2026 to an election after January 1, 2027.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Voters in Washington, D.C., who will use ranked choice voting starting with an election after January 1, 2027.
  • The District of Columbia Election Code, which is the law that governs elections in DC.

Terms To Know

Ranked Choice Voting
A way to vote where you can rank candidates by preference instead of just picking one.
Emergency Amendment Act
A type of law that is passed quickly to address urgent issues and lasts for a limited time.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify exactly which election will be the first one using ranked choice voting.
  • It's unclear how much it will cost to implement this change in voting rules.

Bill History

  1. 2025-12-16 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  2. 2025-12-15 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0539 Introduced by Councilmember Bonds at Office of the Secretary

  3. 2025-12-15 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

Official Summary Text

Ranked Choice Voting Implementation Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
1

__________________________ ________________________ 1
Councilmember Wendell Felder Councilmember Anita Bonds 2
3
A BILL 4
__________ 5
6
7
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 8
____________________ 9
10
11
To amend, on an emergency basis, section 8a of the District of Columbia Election Code of 1955 12
to provide for the implementation of ranked choice voting beginning with the 2027 13
election cycle. 14
15
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 16
act may be cited as the “Ranked Choice Voting Implementation Clarification Emergency 17
Amendment Act of 2025”. 18
Sec. 2. Section 8a of the District of Columbia Election Code of 1955, effective March 7, 19
2025 (69 Stat. 699; D.C. Official Code § § 1-1001.08a), is amended by striking the phrase “June 20
2026 primary election” and inserting the phrase “first election held after January 1, 2027” in its 21
place. 22
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 23
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement of Budget Director as the fiscal impact 24
statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved 25
October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 26
Sec. 4. Effective date. 27
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 28
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), and shall remain in effect no longer than 90-29

2

days, as provided for emergency acts of the Council of the District of Columbia in section 412(a) 30
of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 788; D.C. 31
Official Code § § 1-204.12(a)). 32