SB 1698 Summary

• Amends electronic voting system specifications to accommodate ranked choice voting when ranking for contests is possible.

• Establishes ranked choice voting procedures for Arizona city, town, and county elections with three or more voting options for an office or group of offices.

• Defines threshold formula for election: total votes cast divided by (1 + number of seats to be elected) plus one, with surplus votes redistributed among advancing candidates in subsequent counting rounds.

• Requires ballots to allow voters to rank candidates in order of preference, with instructions stating voters may rank as few or as many candidates as allowed, and that ranking additional candidates will not harm higher-ranked choices.

• Mandates comprehensive tally reports showing vote counts for each candidate in each counting round, exhausted ballots, and requires the Secretary of State to conduct voter education campaigns on ranked choice voting procedures.