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| Long title | To establish the use of ranked choice voting in elections for Representatives in Congress, to require each State with more than one Representative to establish multi-member congressional districts, to require States to conduct congressional redistricting through independent commissions, and for other purposes. |
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| Number of co-sponsors | 8 |
| Legislative history | |
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The Fair Representation Act (H.R. 3863) is a bill filed in the United States House of Representatives. Originally introduced in 2017 during the 115th Congress by Don Beyer (D–VA), it was reintroduced by Beyer in 2019 and 2021.
The bill has three main provisions:
- Establish independent redistricting commissions in all states to prevent gerrymandering
- Creating multi-member districts for elections to the House of Representatives, with each district having at least 3 members
- Require the use of ranked choice voting, in particular single transferable vote, to elect members to the House
Purpose
Beyer has stated the goal of the bill is to reduce polarization and partisanship by incentivizing elected representatives to appeal to a broader range of voters. Ranked choice voting and multi-seat districts would reduce the number of safe-seat districts and encourage more political competition.
The act is also alleged to ensure more proportional representation, both with political parties but also with the election of more women and minority candidates.
Reactions
Support
The bill has been supported by FairVote.
Legislative history
| Congress | Short title | Bill number | Date introduced | Number of cosponsors | Latest status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 115th | Fair Representation Act of 2017 | H.R. 3057 | July 14, 2017 | 5 | Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice |
| 116th | Fair Representation Act of 2019 | H.R. 4000 | July 25, 2019 | 7 | Referred to Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties |
| 117th | Fair Representation Act of 2021 | H.R. 3863 | June 11, 2021 | 8 | Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration |
| 118th | Fair Representation Act of 2024 | H.R. 7740 | March 20, 2024 | 7 | Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on House Administration |
See also
- Single transferable vote
- Proportional representation
- Electoral reform in the United States
- Ranked-choice voting in the United States
- For The People Act
References
- "H.R.3057 - Fair Representation Act". congress.gov. July 14, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
- Winger, Richard (June 18, 2021). "Congressional Bill for Multi-Member U.S. House Districts". Ballot Access News.
- "Beyer, House Democrats Introduce Fair Representation Act Following Supreme Court Decision On Gerrymandering". U.S. Representative Don Beyer. July 25, 2019. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
- "Women's Representation: Saluting Black Women in Politics—Past, Present and Future - Ms. Magazine". msmagazine.com. February 5, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
- ^ FairVote.org. "The Fair Representation Act". FairVote. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
- Representation2020.com. "Fair Representation Act". RepresentWomen. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
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