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House approves ban on ranked-choice voting, citing implementation and trust concerns
Summary
The House passed Senate Bill 63 to prohibit ranked-choice voting in Ohio, with supporters citing complexity and administrative costs and opponents warning the move undercuts local control; the measure passed 63-27.
The Ohio House voted to approve Senate Bill 63, which prohibits the use of ranked-choice voting in state and local elections and establishes penalties for municipalities that adopt the method, supporters said.
Representative Ray (35) argued the ban was necessary because implementation would impose costs and operational difficulties on county boards of elections and could delay results, saying officials had expressed concerns about certifying rounds where candidates are sequentially eliminated. "Ranked choice voting would be a step backward for Ohio's election process," Ray said.
Supporters including Representative Ferguson (37) framed the bill as protecting election integrity and ensuring prompt results on Election Night. Opponents disputed the premise that ranked-choice voting systematically produces poorer outcomes, with Representative Bryant Bailey (14) arguing the measure overrides local control and could punish municipalities that wish to experiment with alternate voting systems.
The House passed SB63 by recorded vote, 63 in favor and 27 opposed. Floor speakers referenced studies, county election official testimony and examples from other states during debate.
The bill now moves on after passage; proponents emphasized operational and certification challenges, while opponents said local governments and voters should be able to choose their preferred systems.
