Voter Choice Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9634
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-07-09: Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-11T14:09:55Z
AI-Generated Summary
Voter Choice Act
Purpose
This legislation amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to establish federal support for state and local governments transitioning to ranked choice voting systems in federal, state, or local elections.
Key Provisions
- Definition: A ranked choice voting system allows voters to rank candidates by preference, with votes counted in rounds to eliminate options with the fewest votes until a winner achieves a majority in single-winner contests or proportional representation in multi-winner contests.
- Program Creation: The Election Assistance Commission must create a program offering technical assistance to jurisdictions considering or implementing ranked choice voting.
- Grants: The Commission may award grants for costs including voting equipment, tabulation software, ballot design, educational materials, and voter outreach. Grants are limited to 50% of total costs.
- Grant Selection: Recipients should reflect diversity in geography, population characteristics, and population density.
- Funding: Authorizes $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2027, available until expended without fiscal year limitation.
- Conforming Changes: Updates references in the Help America Vote Act to incorporate the new subtitle alongside existing programs.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
The bill adds a new Subtitle B under Title V of the Help America Vote Act, expanding the Commission's role beyond the existing Help America Vote College Program to include ranked choice voting support. It modifies section 202(6) and the table of sections to reflect the updated structure.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases responsibilities and funding for the Election Assistance Commission to administer assistance and grants.
- State and Local Governments: Provides financial and technical resources to offset transition costs for election administration.
- Citizens: May affect voting processes in participating jurisdictions through new ballot formats and counting methods.
- No direct effects on international relations are specified.
Main Stakeholders
- State and local election officials and governments.
- The Election Assistance Commission.
- Voters in jurisdictions adopting ranked choice voting.
- Organizations involved in election technology and voter education.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
The bill operates within Congress's authority to support election administration through funding and assistance programs. It does not alter core voting rights or constitutional requirements but introduces federal incentives for a specific voting method. Implementation would depend on state and local adoption decisions.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (7)
Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2], Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8], Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8], Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6], Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
Recent Actions
- 2026-07-09: Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
- 2026-07-09: Introduced in House
- 2026-07-09: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Voter Choice Act — issued 2026-07-09 — PDF (4 pages)