Move to save ranked choice voting through people's vet

Maine Green Independent Party co-chairs Riva O’Rourke and Jon Olsen have condemned the Maine State Legislature's actions in special session in passing  LD 1646, “An Act To Implement Ranked Choice Voting in 2021.” This bill, supported by members of both the Democratic and Republican parties, “sabotages the citizen referendum on ranked choice voting,” said Olsen and O'Rourke. “This vote severely damages our first-in-the nation statewide effort to initiate RCV, and may have dealt it a fatal blow.”

While the bill in name implements RCV in 2021, in truth it does nothing of the sort, as many dissenting but ultimately unsuccessful legislators noted. Rather, it places obligations on future legislatures. Unless, by Dec. 1, 2021, the constitution is amended, RCV is completely repealed. The MGIP believes this is unacceptable.

“We intend to oppose vigorously those legislators who voted to sabotage the referendum vote,” said Olsen and O’Rourke. Already, in part due to the legislature’s failure to implement the people’s will, State Rep. Ralph Chapman (G—Brooksville) has switched from Democrat to Green Independent. Greens welcome any other Democrats to join us in our efforts.

Further, the Maine Green Independent Party calls for and intends to initiate a people's veto of this law and calls for a coalition of parties and organizations to come together and defeat, for the first time since 2010, a law passed by the Maine State Legislature.

For more information:

Ralph Chapman, Ralph.Chapman@legislature.maine.gov
Betsy Marsano, Green Candidate for Governor, marsanobetsy4973@gmail.com
Jon Olsen, Maine Green Independent Party Co-Chair, joliyoka@gmail.com
Riva O’Rourke, Maine Green Independent Party Co-Chair, rivalynnorourke@yahoo.com

Note: Signatures totaling 10% (61,123) of the votes cast for Governor in 2014 are required.