{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/15.2-705.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/15.2-705.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/15.2-705.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/15.2-705.1.html"}],"law_id":85157,"edition_id":1,"section_id":85157,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-705.1","catch_line":"Instant runoff voting","history":"2020, c. 713.","full_text":"A\n\nFor purposes of this section:\n\t\t\t“Instant runoff voting” means a method of casting and tabulating votes in which (i) voters rank candidates in order of preference, (ii) tabulation proceeds in rounds such that in each round either a candidate or candidates are elected or the last-place candidate is defeated, (iii) votes for voters’ next-ranked candidates are transferred from elected or defeated candidates, and (iv) tabulation ends when the number of candidates elected equals the number of offices to be filled. “Instant runoff voting” is also known as “ranked choice voting.”\n\t\t\t“Ranking” means the ordinal number assigned on a ballot by a voter to a candidate to express the voter’s preference for that candidate. Ranking number one is the highest ranking, ranking number two is the next-highest ranking, and so on, consecutively, up to the number of candidates indicated on the ballot.B\n\nElections to nominate candidates for and to elect members to the board of supervisors in a county operating under the county manager plan may be conducted by instant runoff voting pursuant to this section.C\n\nThe State Board may promulgate regulations for the proper and efficient administration of elections determined by instant runoff voting, including (i) procedures for tabulating votes in rounds, (ii) procedures for determining winners in elections for offices to which only one candidate is being elected and for offices to which more than one candidate is being elected, and (iii) standards for ballots pursuant to § 24.2-613, notwithstanding the provisions of subsection E of that section.D\n\nThe State Board may administer or prescribe standards for a voter outreach and public information program for use by any locality conducting instant runoff voting pursuant to this section.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":305137,"text":"For purposes of this section:\n\t\t\t“Instant runoff voting” means a method of casting and tabulating votes in which (i) voters rank candidates in order of preference, (ii) tabulation proceeds in rounds such that in each round either a candidate or candidates are elected or the last-place candidate is defeated, (iii) votes for voters’ next-ranked candidates are transferred from elected or defeated candidates, and (iv) tabulation ends when the number of candidates elected equals the number of offices to be filled. “Instant runoff voting” is also known as “ranked choice voting.”\n\t\t\t“Ranking” means the ordinal number assigned on a ballot by a voter to a candidate to express the voter’s preference for that candidate. Ranking number one is the highest ranking, ranking number two is the next-highest ranking, and so on, consecutively, up to the number of candidates indicated on the ballot.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":305138,"text":"Elections to nominate candidates for and to elect members to the board of supervisors in a county operating under the county manager plan may be conducted by instant runoff voting pursuant to this section.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":305139,"text":"The State Board may promulgate regulations for the proper and efficient administration of elections determined by instant runoff voting, including (i) procedures for tabulating votes in rounds, (ii) procedures for determining winners in elections for offices to which only one candidate is being elected and for offices to which more than one candidate is being elected, and (iii) standards for ballots pursuant to § 24.2-613, notwithstanding the provisions of subsection E of that section.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":305140,"text":"The State Board may administer or prescribe standards for a voter outreach and public information program for use by any locality conducting instant runoff voting pursuant to this section.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13942,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Powers; County Manager Plan","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13941,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:22","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:22","permalink":{"id":151879,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13942,"identifier":"2","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2","url":"\/15.2\/I\/7\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13941,"edition_id":1,"name":"County Manager Plan of Government","identifier":"7","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13138,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:22","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:22","permalink":{"id":151867,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13941,"identifier":"7","token":"15.2\/I\/7","url":"\/15.2\/I\/7\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13138,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions; Charters; Other Forms and Organization of Counties","identifier":"I","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12720,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:20","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:20","permalink":{"id":151281,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13138,"identifier":"I","token":"15.2\/I","url":"\/15.2\/I\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12720,"edition_id":1,"name":"Counties, Cities and Towns","identifier":"15.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":151279,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12720,"identifier":"15.2","token":"15.2","url":"\/15.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":81778,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-702","catch_line":"County board; membership, terms, chairman, etc","url":"\/15.2-702\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-702","metadata":false},{"id":84414,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-702.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/15.2-702.1\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-702.1","metadata":false},{"id":84753,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-703","catch_line":"Interference by members of board in appointments and removals of personnel","url":"\/15.2-703\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-703","metadata":false},{"id":79639,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-704","catch_line":"Appointment of clerk of board; powers and duties; obligations and penalties","url":"\/15.2-704\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-704","metadata":false},{"id":80202,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-705","catch_line":"Election of members of board; filling vacancies","url":"\/15.2-705\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-705","metadata":false},{"id":85157,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-705.1","catch_line":"Instant runoff voting","url":"\/15.2-705.1\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-705.1","metadata":false},{"id":68323,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-706","catch_line":"Duties of county manager; compensation; appointment of officers and employees","url":"\/15.2-706\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-706","metadata":false},{"id":62617,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-707","catch_line":"Bonds of county officers and employees","url":"\/15.2-707\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-707","metadata":false},{"id":59246,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-708","catch_line":"Term of office of county manager; salary and performance of duties; acting manager in case of temporary absence or disability; removal or suspension","url":"\/15.2-708\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-708","metadata":false},{"id":66195,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-709","catch_line":"Investigation of county officers or employees","url":"\/15.2-709\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-709","metadata":false},{"id":77826,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-709.1","catch_line":"Applicant preemployment information in Arlington County","url":"\/15.2-709.1\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-709.1","metadata":false},{"id":61586,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-709.2","catch_line":"County auditor","url":"\/15.2-709.2\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-709.2","metadata":false},{"id":82185,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-710","catch_line":"Budget; 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board of equalization; general reassessments in county where department established","url":"\/15.2-716\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-716","metadata":false},{"id":73122,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-716.1","catch_line":"Board of Equalization","url":"\/15.2-716.1\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-716.1","metadata":false},{"id":86535,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-717","catch_line":"Time in which to contest real property assessments","url":"\/15.2-717\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-717","metadata":false},{"id":84346,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-718","catch_line":"Postponement of payment of certain assessments","url":"\/15.2-718\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-718","metadata":false},{"id":55814,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-719","catch_line":"Immobilization, etc., of certain vehicles","url":"\/15.2-719\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-719","metadata":false},{"id":68805,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-719.1","catch_line":"Naming U.S. Route 29","url":"\/15.2-719.1\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-719.1","metadata":false},{"id":81735,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-720","catch_line":"Employee salary reduction agreements","url":"\/15.2-720\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-720","metadata":false},{"id":71742,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-720.1","catch_line":"Employee benefits; 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purposes","url":"\/15.2-740\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-740","metadata":false},{"id":68797,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-741","catch_line":"Regulation of child-care services and facilities in certain counties","url":"\/15.2-741\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-741","metadata":false},{"id":73278,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-742","catch_line":"Lighting level regulation","url":"\/15.2-742\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-742","metadata":false},{"id":75816,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-743","catch_line":"Fee for certain vacations, encroachments, and abandonments","url":"\/15.2-743\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-743","metadata":false},{"id":74105,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-744","catch_line":"Authority of county board to impose civil penalties for wrongful demolition, razing or moving of historic buildings","url":"\/15.2-744\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-744","metadata":false},{"id":74318,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-745","catch_line":"Ordinance for installment collection of taxes","url":"\/15.2-745\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-745","metadata":false},{"id":68300,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-746","catch_line":"Board possesses general power of management","url":"\/15.2-746\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-746","metadata":false},{"id":66479,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-747","catch_line":"Board may prohibit and penalize acts which are misdemeanors under state law","url":"\/15.2-747\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-747","metadata":false},{"id":70678,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-748","catch_line":"Annexation by city","url":"\/15.2-748\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-748","metadata":false},{"id":58883,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-749","catch_line":"Certain referenda in certain counties","url":"\/15.2-749\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-749","metadata":false},{"id":67785,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-750","catch_line":"Board may accept dedication of rights to develop real property","url":"\/15.2-750\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-750","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":80202,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-705","catch_line":"Election of members of board; filling vacancies","url":"\/15.2-705\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-705","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":68323,"structure_id":13942,"section_number":"15.2-706","catch_line":"Duties of county manager; compensation; appointment of officers and employees","url":"\/15.2-706\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-706","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/15.2-705.1\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2020. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 713<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":74566,"section_number":"24.2-613","catch_line":"Form of ballot","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-613\/"}],"permalink":{"id":151901,"object_type":"law","relational_id":85157,"identifier":"15.2-705.1","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-705.1","url":"\/15.2-705.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/15.2-705.1\/","token":"15.2\/I\/7\/2\/15.2-705.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Instant runoff voting","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 15.2-705.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> For purposes of this section:\n\t\t\t“Instant runoff voting<\/span>” means a method of casting and tabulating votes in which (i) voters<\/span> rank candidates in order<\/span> of preference, (ii) tabulation proceeds in rounds such that in each round either a candidate or candidates are elected or the last-place candidate is defeated, (iii) votes for voters<\/span>’ next-ranked candidates are transferred from elected or defeated candidates, and (iv) tabulation ends when the number of candidates elected equals the number of offices to be filled. “Instant runoff voting<\/span>” is also known as “ranked choice voting.”\n\t\t\t“Ranking<\/span>” means the ordinal number assigned on a ballot by a voter<\/span> to a candidate to express the voter<\/span>’s preference for that candidate. Ranking<\/span> number one is the highest ranking<\/span>, ranking<\/span> number two is the next-highest ranking<\/span>, and so on, consecutively, up to the number of candidates indicated on the ballot. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Elections to nominate candidates for and to elect members to the board of supervisors<\/span> in a county<\/span> operating under the county<\/span> manager plan may be conducted by instant runoff voting<\/span> pursuant to this section. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The State Board may promulgate regulations for the proper and efficient administration of elections determined by instant runoff voting<\/span>, including (i) procedures for tabulating votes in rounds, (ii) procedures for determining winners in elections for offices to which only one candidate is being elected and for offices to which more than one candidate is being elected, and (iii) standards for ballots pursuant to § 24.2-613<\/a>, notwithstanding the provisions of subsection E of that section. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> The State Board may administer or prescribe standards for a voter<\/span> outreach and public information program for use by any locality<\/span> conducting instant runoff voting<\/span> pursuant to this section. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nINSTANT RUNOFF VOTING (\u00a7 15.2-705.1)\n\nA. For purposes of this section:\n\t\t\t“Instant runoff voting” means a method of casting and tabulating\nvotes in which (i) voters rank candidates in order of preference, (ii)\ntabulation proceeds in rounds such that in each round either a candidate or\ncandidates are elected or the last-place candidate is defeated, (iii) votes for\nvoters’ next-ranked candidates are transferred from elected or defeated\ncandidates, and (iv) tabulation ends when the number of candidates elected\nequals the number of offices to be filled. “Instant runoff voting”\nis also known as “ranked choice voting.”\n\t\t\t“Ranking” means the ordinal number assigned on a ballot by a\nvoter to a candidate to express the voter’s preference for that candidate.\nRanking number one is the highest ranking, ranking number two is the\nnext-highest ranking, and so on, consecutively, up to the number of candidates\nindicated on the ballot.\n\nB. Elections to nominate candidates for and to elect members to the board of\nsupervisors in a county operating under the county manager plan may be conducted\nby instant runoff voting pursuant to this section.\n\nC. The State Board may promulgate regulations for the proper and efficient\nadministration of elections determined by instant runoff voting, including (i)\nprocedures for tabulating votes in rounds, (ii) procedures for determining\nwinners in elections for offices to which only one candidate is being elected\nand for offices to which more than one candidate is being elected, and (iii)\nstandards for ballots pursuant to § 24.2-613, notwithstanding the\nprovisions of subsection E of that section.\n\nD. The State Board may administer or prescribe standards for a voter outreach\nand public information program for use by any locality conducting instant runoff\nvoting pursuant to this section.\n\nHISTORY: 2020, c. 713.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}