House committee approves bill to prohibit ranked‑choice voting in Arkansas

Representative McCollum presented legislation to prohibit ranked‑choice voting across Arkansas political subdivisions, arguing the practice conflicts with “one person, one vote” and that the Legislature should provide clarity to municipalities considering the method. He told the committee the Secretary of State’s office had no known local implementations and had asked for statutory clarity; McCollum said the measure would make the state’s preference explicit and avoid ambiguity for local governments.

Committee members asked whether the bill would preempt local decisions and whether Arkansas had any existing ranked‑choice systems. McCollum said he had discussed the matter with the Secretary of State and that no Arkansas jurisdiction currently used ranked choice; he said the Secretary welcomed clarity. Members also noted that the committee itself had used a ranked‑choice procedure informally for an internal vote and discussed the merits of different voting systems.

After closing remarks, a motion to pass carried on a voice vote recorded as “the ayes have it.” Representative McCollum thanked colleagues for support.

Why it matters: The bill removes the option for municipal or other political subdivisions to adopt ranked‑choice voting. Supporters argued the change protects electoral tradition; opponents raised local control concerns. The committee vote advances the proposal to the next stage of the legislative process.

What’s next: The committee voted to pass the bill and the measure will move to the full House calendar for further consideration.