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Councilmember Wendell Felder 3
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A PROPOSED RESOLUTION 7
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 10
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To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to amend the District of 14
Columbia Election Code of 1955 to require the Board of Elections to conduct a 15
comprehensive needs assessment on the District’s institutional readiness to implement 16
ranked choice voting, including an evaluation of voter awareness and public perception, 17
an assessment of equity and access impacts on historically marginalized communities, a 18
review of best practices from other jurisdictions, and the submission of a report to the 19
Mayor and the Council containing an implementation plan, full cost model, operational 20
timeline with critical milestones, and a comprehensive voter outreach and education plan 21
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RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 23
resolution may be cited as the “Board of Elections Ranked Choice Voting Needs Assessment 24
Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025”. 25
Sec. 2. (a) The District of Columbia Election Code of 1955 establishes the legal 26
framework governing elections in the District, including the responsibilities and administrative 27
duties of the Board of Elections (“Board”). The Ranked Choice Voting and Open Primary 28
Elections to Independent Voters Act of 2024 (D.C. Law 25-295) was approved December 2, 29
2024 and became effective March 7, 2025, but the law states that implementation of ranked 30
choice voting (RCV) is contingent upon appropriation of funds and related preparations made by 31
the Board. 32
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(b) The successful implementation of RCV requires substantial administrative 33
preparation, including but not limited to redesigning ballots, upgrading tabulation systems, 34
training staff, preparing regulations, conducting community education, and ensuring compliance 35
with federal and local accessibility, translation, and cybersecurity requirements. 36
(c) Other jurisdictions that have implemented RCV such as New York City, Maine, 37
Alaska, and several U.S. municipalities used multi-year preparation timelines, readiness 38
assessments, cost modeling, pilot programs, and community-education planning before full 39
deployment of RCV; these assessments were critical in identifying technology, staffing, public-40
understanding, and regulatory gaps. 41
(d) The District’s current statute does not require the Board to complete a mandatory pre-42
implementation needs assessment, nor does it mandate an operational readiness analysis, full-43
cost model, or detailed implementation plan prior to deploying RCV. Without these safeguards, 44
the District risks launching a voting system without sufficient preparation, public awareness, or 45
administrative capacity. 46
(e) A comprehensive needs assessment is essential to determine the Board of Elections’ 47
operational readiness for ranked choice voting, including analysis of capacity limitations, 48
staffing and fiscal needs, required technology enhancements, and the development of an 49
appropriate implementation schedule. 50
(f) A comprehensive needs assessment is necessary to ensure that RCV is implemented 51
effectively, equitably, and without disenfranchising historically marginalized communities 52
including seniors, people with limited English proficiency, returning citizens, and residents of 53
Wards 5, 7, and 8 who already face systemic barriers to participation. 54
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(g) Emergency legislation is required to mandate that the Board undertake such an 55
assessment including institutional readiness, equity/access impacts, review of other 56
jurisdictions’ best practices, and the creation of a detailed implementation plan outlining costs, 57
timelines, milestones, and a comprehensive voter-education strategy. 58
Therefore, immediate action is required to ensure that the District does not proceed with 59
deployment of ranked choice voting absent the critical assessments needed to safeguard voter 60
access, prevent administrative failures, and ensure a smooth and equitable transition to the RCV 61
system. 62
Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia determines that the circumstances in 63
section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the Board of Elections 64
Board of Elections Ranked Choice Voting Needs Assessment Emergency Act of 2025 be 65
adopted after a single reading. 66
Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately. 67
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