THE COASTAL PACKET: State legislature wrecks ranked choice voting

Tuesday, October 24

State legislature wrecks ranked choice voting

Independent Voter Network - Maine became the first state in the nation to adopt ranked choice voting when Maine voters approved Question 5 in November 2016. Yet, lawmakers voted to delay the system until December 2021, and then repeal it if a constitutional amendment is not approved to address a non-binding opinion from the Maine Supreme Court.

Despite voters overflowing committee rooms to testify in support of ranked choice voting, thousands of calls to legislators, over 100 letters to the editor, the biggest newspapers in Maine calling on lawmakers to uphold the will of voters, and one of its biggest opponents changing his mind about full repeal, state lawmakers instead decided to go against the will of their constituents.

If supporters cannot get a constitutional amendment passed by December 2021, ranked choice voting will be fully repealed.

The vote was mainly the fault of Republicans.Here's the roll call

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