Fair Representation Act (United States)
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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.[1][2]
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[edit]
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.[3]
The act is also alleged to ensure more proportional representation, both with political parties but also with the election of more women[4] and minority candidates.[5][6]
Reactions[edit]
Support[edit]
The bill has been supported by FairVote.[5]
Legislative history[edit]
| 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[edit]
- Single transferable vote
- Proportional representation
- Electoral reform in the United States
- Ranked-choice voting in the United States
- For The People Act
References[edit]
- ^ "H.R.3057 - Fair Representation Act". congress.gov. July 14, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
- ^ Winger, Richard. "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.
- ^ a b FairVote.org. "The Fair Representation Act". FairVote. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
- ^ Representation2020.com. "Fair Representation Act". RepresentWomen. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
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