A major rewrite of how Americans elect Congress. This bill would require ranked-choice voting — where voters rank candidates in order of preference rather than picking just one — in every federal election, starting with Senate races in 2026 and House races after the 2030 census. For states with six or more House members, it would end single-member districts and require multi-member districts of 3 to 5 seats each, with seats allocated proportionally so a political group winning around 40 percent of the vote gets roughly 40 percent of the seats. States with five or fewer House members would elect all Representatives at-large. Title III would also require states to draw 2030 maps using independent, nonpartisan criteria: districts must comply with the Voting Rights Act, preserve communities of interest, and not materially favor any political party; mid-decade redistricting would be banned; and federal courts could step in to draw maps if a state misses its deadline. The Election Assistance Commission would send states 4 dollars to 8 dollars per registered voter to cover implementation costs, and the Justice Department or private citizens could sue to enforce any part of the law.
Congressional Summary
Fair Representation ActThis bill requires ranked-choice voting (a system in which voters rank candidates in order of preference) in certain federal elections and requires the use of multi-member districts in certain states. It also outlines criteria for congressional redistricting and generally prohibits mid-decade redistricting.Specifically, the bill requires states to use ranked-choice voting in elections for Senators and Members of the House of Representatives. The Election Assistance Commission must make payments to states to implement ranked-choice voting.The bill generally requires (1) that states entitled to six or more Representatives establish districts such that three to five Representatives are elected from each district, and (2) that states entitled to fewer than six Representatives elect all Representatives on an at-large basis.The bill also sets forth criteria for congressional redistricting, including by (1) requiring congressional districts to comply with the U.S. Constitution and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and (2) prohibiting the use of a redistricting plan that was drawn with the intent (or has the effect of) materially favoring or disfavoring any political party. The bill creates judicial remedies if a state fails to enact a final congressional redistricting plan. In particular, if a state fails to enact such a final plan by the applicable deadline, then a three-judge district court shall have the exclusive authority to develop and publish the congressional redistricting plan for the state.The bill also includes a provision to prevent states from redistricting more than once following an apportionment (i.e., mid-decade redistricting).
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2025-07-23
- Date Added
- 2026-04-23
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