HR 2562119th CongressIn Committee

District of Columbia One Vote One Choice Act

Introduced: Apr 1, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The District of Columbia One Vote One Choice Act would amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to ban ranked-choice voting (RCV) in all District of Columbia elections. This includes elections for public office held in DC, as well as any ballot measures or referenda, and it would apply even to elections for federal offices conducted in DC. The bill creates a new section (Sec. 305) in HAVA establishing the prohibition, and it makes related conforming and clerical changes to recognize this new prohibition within the federal framework governing elections. In short, if enacted, DC would be prohibited from using ranked-choice voting for any of its elections going forward; the measure also adjusts how enforcement and numbering work within HAVA to accommodate this ban.

Key Points

1Prohibition on ranked-choice voting in DC: The bill states that the District of Columbia may not carry out an election using a system of ranked-choice voting, i.e., voters ranking candidates by order of preference.
2Broad definition of a DC election: The prohibition covers any District of Columbia election, including elections for federal office held in DC and any ballot initiatives or referenda.
3Enactment through HAVA amendments: The bill inserts a new Sec. 305 into the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to codify the ban, and it amends related enforcement provisions (Sec. 401) to recognize Sec. 305.
4Legislative housekeeping: The bill renumbers existing sections (moving 305/306 to 306/307) and adds a new table-of-contents entry for Sec. 305, reflecting the insertion of the new prohibition.
5Sponsor and status: Introduced in the House on April 1, 2025, by Rep. Lawler (with co-sponsors) and referred to the House Administration Committee.

Impact Areas

Primary affected: Voters and election officials in the District of Columbia, particularly those who would otherwise be voters under a ranked-choice system and administrators who oversee DC elections.Secondary affected: Advocates and organizers who support or promote ranked-choice voting as a reform, since DC would be barred from using RCV.Additional impacts: The prohibition would apply to elections for federal offices conducted in DC and DC ballot measures, potentially shaping how DC conducts and administers elections and how it interacts with federal election rules. The bill does not specify penalties or a transition plan, so implementation details (e.g., procurement, training, and changes to election infrastructure) would presumably be handled per established DC procedures and any further federal guidance.

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