SB176
Elections; ranked choice voting; locally elected offices, report.
Status:
Passed
Latest Action:
March 10, 2026
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Chief Patron:
Schuyler VanValkenburg (D)
Session:
2026 Regular Session
Summary
As Introduced. Elections; conduct of election; ranked choice voting; locally elected offices; report.
Expands the option to use ranked choice voting from only elections for county board of supervisors and city councils to any local governing body. The bill requires the State Board of Elections to provide standards and to approve vote tabulating software for use with existing voting systems in elections conducted ... (More) by ranked choice voting. The bill provides for copying damaged or defective ballots that cannot be properly counted by electronic voting systems. The bill allows localities to request risk-limiting audits of elections conducted using ranked choice voting and provides that no such election may be included in any random drawing required to satisfy the general requirements for risk-limiting audits. The bill specifies that the State Board is required to produce generalized voter education materials on ranked choice voting and is also permitted to create and modify recount procedures to the extent necessary to accommodate a recount of an election. The bill directs the Department of Elections to review the testing and approval framework for voting equipment in the Commonwealth and submit a report of such review no later than the first day of the 2027 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Finally, the bill repeals the 2031 expiration of the option to use ranked choice voting in elections, making such option permanent. (Less)-
Bill History
- 01/08/2026 - Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104635D
- 01/08/2026 - Senate: Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
- 01/26/2026 - Senate: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB176)
- 01/27/2026 - Senate: Reported from Privileges and Elections (8-Y 5-N 1-A)
- 01/29/2026 - Senate: Rules suspended
- 01/29/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 01/29/2026 - Senate: Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
- 01/29/2026 - Senate: Passed by for the day
- 01/30/2026 - Senate: Read second time
- 01/30/2026 - Senate: Read second time
- 01/30/2026 - Senate: Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote)
- 02/02/2026 - Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
- 02/05/2026 - House: Placed on Calendar
- 02/05/2026 - House: Read first time
- 02/05/2026 - House: Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
- 02/18/2026 - House: Placed on Privileges and Elections Agenda
- 02/20/2026 - House: Reported from Privileges and Elections (15-Y 6-N)
- 02/24/2026 - House: Read second time
- 02/25/2026 - House: Read third time
- 02/25/2026 - House: Passed House (64-Y 34-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
- 02/27/2026 - Senate: Enrolled
- 02/27/2026 - Senate: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB176ER)
- 02/27/2026 - Senate: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB176)
- 02/27/2026 - House: Signed by Speaker
- 02/27/2026 - Senate: Signed by President
- 03/10/2026 - Senate: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026
- 03/10/2026 - Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
