Reforming a country, or even a state, is a marathon, not a sprint. And though many state legislatures are wrapping up their 2019 sessions, the race to reinvigorate local and state elections through ranked choice voting (RCV) legislation is far from over.

RCV bills were introduced in record numbers this year, making an appearance in 24 states as of June 3. And the proposals were not only numerous, but creative in their approach, from local options bills and pilot projects to RCV for special and vacancy elections and even for use to make sense of an increasingly crowded 2020 Democratic presidential nomination field.

Though just two of the many RCV-related bills have passed into law - related to existing RCV implementation and education efforts in Utah and New Mexico - a number that failed to make it to the final step saw significant progress nonetheless. Meanwhile, several others will live on after session ends, with the promise of a renewed consideration after additional study and information-gathering. And there’s still hope yet for a few more state RCV bills to cross the finish line this year in legislatures not yet close to ending their sessions.

FairVote will continue to track all legislation, working with FairVote Action and local allies in support of many bills. Here are a few highlights as we hit the halfway mark for the 2019 calendar year.