After a rushed runoff election in December, Georgia lawmakers and advocates are calling for a bill to change the way Georgia conducts elections.
On Wednesday, lawmakers introduced a bill to the Georgia General Assembly that would shorten the interval between an election and its runoff from four weeks to roughly four hours. The bill, HB 200, allows municipalities to opt into a ranked choice ballot, allowing voters to rank candidates in order of preference.
Daniel Baggerman, President of Better Ballot, a nonpartisan organization at the forefront of IRV advocacy, says IRV streamlines elections.
Adam Shirley, a member of the Clarke County Board of Elections, says the system gives voters more freedom to choose their preferred candidate.
If passed, the bill will allow cities and towns to opt into IRV starting Jan. 1, 2024