Authorizing ranked choice voting in the town of Arlington

This bill allows the town of Arlington to use ranked choice voting (RCV) for local elections. This means voters can rank candidates in order of preference. It applies to elections for select board members, school committee members, the town moderator, elected members of the board of the housing authority, and assessors. However, RCV won't be used if there's only one or two candidates for a position or if there are as many or fewer candidates as positions available. Votes are counted in rounds: if a candidate has the fewest votes in a single-seat election, they're eliminated, and the process repeats until one candidate is left. For multi-seat elections, this process repeats to fill each seat. If used, the system must be voted on and approved by the townspeople. Additionally, the town clerk can make necessary adjustments for the process to run smoothly and will publish election results by rounds.

MA H4499 is a house bill in the Massachusetts 194th General Court, sponsored by Sean Garballey (D), currently “Introduced” since September 11, 2025.

We track 6,558 Massachusetts bills this session, 38 of them sponsored by Sean Garballey.

Supporters of the bill will highlight how it empowers voters in Arlington by allowing them to express their preferences more comprehensively. Ranked choice voting tends to reduce strategic voting and can lead to more representative outcomes, ensuring that elected officials have broader support within the community. This system is seen as a progressive step towards more democratic and fair elections, giving voters a stronger voice.

Critics may argue that implementing ranked choice voting can create confusion among voters and complicate the voting and tabulation process. There might be concerns about increased costs and administrative challenges associated with changing the election infrastructure. Some opponents could also suggest that focusing on ranked choice voting might divert attention from more pressing electoral reforms.