Jonah Patel
Ranked-choice voting (RCV) in Maine has been a topic of close interest for several years, with Maine being the first state to use RCV in federal elections. In 2016, Maine voters approved the use of RCV for statewide elections, and it was first used in 2018. However, in 2017, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court advised that RCV was unconstitutional for some general elections due to the Maine Constitution's requirement for a plurality (a winner with the most votes). This led to legal challenges and attempts to delay or repeal RCV, but it was ultimately implemented in the 2018 elections and remains in use. The use of RCV in Maine has sparked debates about its impact on voters, campaigns, and the political process, with some praising its ability to ensure the winning candidate has broad support, while others criticise it as confusing and a violation of voting principles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of implementation | 2018 |
| First state to implement RCV in federal elections | Yes |
| RCV used in state elections | No |
| RCV used in primary elections | Yes |
| RCV used in general elections | Yes, but only for federal offices |
| RCV used in presidential elections | Yes |
| RCV used in governor elections | No |
| RCV used in state legislature elections | No |
| RCV used in congressional elections | Yes |
| RCV used in US Senate elections | Yes |
| RCV used in US House elections | Yes |
| RCV used in US Representative elections | Yes |
| Constitutional in Maine | Yes, but with some disputes |
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What You'll Learn
- Ranked-choice voting was found to be unconstitutional for some Maine general elections in 2017
- Maine voters approved ranked-choice voting in 2016, and again in 2018
- The Maine Republican Party opposed ranked-choice voting and tried to reduce its use
- Ranked-choice voting has been found to increase voting time and negatively impact voter confidence
- Ranked-choice voting ensures the winner has the broadest support and encourages candidates to ally
Ranked-choice voting was found to be unconstitutional for some Maine general elections in 2017
In 2016, Maine became the first state to adopt ranked-choice voting for statewide elections. However, in 2017, the state supreme court advised that ranked-choice voting was unconstitutional for some Maine general elections. This advisory opinion stated that the Maine Constitution requires winners of state offices in a general election to be decided by a plurality (a plurality being whoever receives the most votes). The specific offices for which ranked-choice voting was deemed unconstitutional were the Maine House and Senate and governor.
In response to this, the state legislature passed a bill to delay the implementation of ranked-choice voting until the constitution could be changed. This was seen by many as an attempt to repeal ranked-choice voting, going against the will of the people. Volunteers then collected signatures for a "people's veto" of the legislature's delay. With the law on hold, ranked-choice voting was implemented for the June 2018 primaries, and voters once again showed their support for the voting method.
Despite the initial setback, ranked-choice voting has continued to be used in Maine, albeit with some limitations. It is used in partisan primaries for governor, state senator, and state representative, as well as in both primaries and general elections for federal offices, including the US Senate, US House, and US President.
The use of ranked-choice voting in Maine has sparked interest in its impact on voters and the political process. While some claim that it makes campaigns more civil, others argue that it is too confusing and violates the principle of one person, one vote. Ranked-choice voting has had subtle benefits in Maine, such as encouraging candidates to ally with each other and reach out to a broader range of supporters.
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Maine voters approved ranked-choice voting in 2016, and again in 2018
In 2016, Maine voters approved ranked-choice voting (RCV) for the first time. This was done through a citizens' petition and ballot measure, with 52% of voters approving Question 5 on the ballot. RCV was set to be implemented in the 2018 elections. However, in 2017, following inquiries from the Maine Senate, the state supreme court advised that RCV was unconstitutional for some general elections, specifically for state offices, because the Maine Constitution stipulates that state offices be won by a plurality (whoever receives the most votes).
In response to the court's opinion, the state legislature passed a bill to delay the implementation of RCV until the constitution could be changed. Many saw this as an attempt to repeal RCV, going against the people's will. Volunteers collected signatures for a "people's veto" of the legislature's delay, and the courts directed the secretary of state to move forward with implementing RCV in the June 2018 primaries. On June 12, 2018, Maine voters once again approved RCV through this people's veto referendum, which repealed parts of the previous law that delayed RCV.
Maine was the first state to use RCV in federal elections, starting with the congressional election in 2018. This was further expanded to include the first-ever ranked-choice presidential primary in 2020. RCV allows voters to rank candidates on their ballot in order of preference. If no candidate breaks 50% of the popular vote, the bottom finisher is eliminated, and voters' second choices are considered. This process continues until a candidate achieves a majority of the total votes.
While RCV has been found to increase voter enthusiasm and encourage candidates to work together, it has also faced some criticism. Some studies have shown that RCV can decrease voter confidence and satisfaction, increase voting time, and make the voting process more complicated. Additionally, opponents of RCV, including the Maine Republican Party, have argued that it violates the principle of one person, one vote. They have filed lawsuits to challenge the constitutionality of RCV, but these challenges have been rejected by the courts.
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The Maine Republican Party opposed ranked-choice voting and tried to reduce its use
Maine voters approved ranked-choice voting in 2016, making it the first state to enact this voting system for statewide elections. However, the Maine Republican Party has consistently opposed ranked-choice voting, arguing that it is confusing for voters and violates the principle of one person, one vote. They have taken legal action to stop its implementation, particularly in presidential elections.
In 2017, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court advised that ranked-choice voting was unconstitutional for some general elections, as the Maine Constitution requires winners of state offices to be decided by a plurality (a plurality means whoever receives the most votes). In response, the state legislature, which was then controlled by Republicans, passed a bill to delay the implementation of ranked-choice voting until the constitution could be changed. This move was seen by many as an attempt to repeal ranked-choice voting, going against the will of the voters.
Volunteers collected signatures for a "people's veto" of the legislature's delay, and in June 2018, Maine voters again voiced their support for ranked-choice voting at the ballot, passing the veto measure. Despite this, the Maine Republican Party continued to oppose the voting method and tried to reduce its use. They requested a stay on the Supreme Judicial Court decision that cleared the way for ranked-choice voting in the 2020 presidential election, but this was denied. The Maine Republican Party then appealed to the US Supreme Court, but their request was rejected.
In addition to legal challenges, there have been claims that ranked-choice voting has not improved the political process in Maine. A study by MIT Election Lab found that ranked-choice voting produced lower levels of voter confidence, satisfaction, and ease of use. It also increased the perception that the voting process was biased against the respondent's party. Furthermore, it was found that negative spending in campaigns increased significantly following the implementation of ranked-choice voting, contrary to the claim that it would make campaigns more civil.
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Ranked-choice voting has been found to increase voting time and negatively impact voter confidence
Maine was the first state to adopt ranked-choice voting (RCV) for statewide elections, including federal elections. This system has been used in Maine since 2018, with a 2018 referendum repealing a law that would have delayed its implementation until 2022.
RCV has been found to increase voting time and negatively impact voter confidence. A study by MIT's Election Lab found that RCV produced significantly lower levels of voter confidence, satisfaction, and ease of use. The study also found that RCV increased the perception that the voting process was biased against the respondent's party. Furthermore, it was found that RCV increased the voting time by approximately 12 seconds per candidate compared to a plurality ballot.
Despite these potential drawbacks, RCV has been shown to increase voter turnout and incentivize campaigns to have greater contact with voters. A study examining the relationship between electoral systems and voter turnout found higher probabilities of turnout in places that use RCV. Additionally, campaigns in RCV places were found to have greater incidences of direct voter contact.
The impact of RCV on the voting process and political landscape in Maine is still being studied and evaluated. While it has been found to increase voting time and negatively impact voter confidence, it also has the potential to increase voter turnout and encourage more direct engagement between campaigns and voters. The effects of RCV are complex and multifaceted, and further research is needed to fully understand its implications.
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Ranked-choice voting ensures the winner has the broadest support and encourages candidates to ally
Ranked-choice voting (RCV) has been a topic of close interest in Maine for several years. In 2016, Maine became the first state to enact RCV for statewide elections for Congress, the governor, and the state legislature. However, in 2017, the state supreme court advised that RCV was unconstitutional for some general elections, as the Maine Constitution stipulates that state offices be won by a plurality (a plurality means that the winner is the candidate with the most votes). As a result, the state legislature passed a bill to delay the implementation of RCV until the constitution could be changed. This move was seen by many as an attempt to repeal RCV, going against the people's will.
Despite this setback, ranked-choice voting in Maine remained in action. Maine uses RCV in partisan primaries for governor, state senator, and state representative, as well as in both primaries and general elections for US senator, US representative, and US president. The use of RCV ensures that the winner has the broadest support, whether in the party primary or among the general electorate. It reinforces Maine's pattern of electing centrist, independent-thinking political leaders. Even when RCV doesn't change the winner of an election, it has subtle benefits, such as encouraging candidates to ally with each other and reach out to each other's supporters.
The impact of RCV on voters and the political process in Maine has been studied by researchers at the MIT Election Lab. They found that RCV led to significantly lower levels of voter confidence, satisfaction, and ease of use. It also increased the perception that the voting process was biased against the respondent's party. However, RCV did increase the number of people voting for non-major party candidates, which is touted as "sincere voting" by reformers. Another claim made by reformers is that RCV will make campaigns more civil, but the researchers found that negative spending increased significantly in Maine following the implementation of RCV.
RCV has faced legal challenges in Maine, with the Maine Republican Party unsuccessfully suing to stop its use in presidential elections. In 2018, U.S. District Judge Lance Walker rejected a lawsuit brought by Bruce Poliquin's reelection campaign, which challenged the constitutionality of RCV in the 2018 Congressional election. The Maine Supreme Judicial Court also denied a stay requested by the Maine Republican Party for the 2020 presidential election, and their appeal to the US Supreme Court was rejected.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes and no. Ranked-choice voting was deemed unconstitutional for state races like governor, state senator, and state representative because the Maine Constitution requires the winners of those offices in a general election to be decided by a plurality. However, ranked-choice voting was found to be constitutional for primary elections for state and federal offices, and general elections for federal offices like the U.S. House and Senate, and the U.S. President.
Ranked-choice voting remains in action in Maine. It is used for all of Maine's state-level primary elections and in general elections for federal offices.
Ranked-choice voting became a topic of close interest in Maine after voters approved its use in 2016. It was set to be implemented in the 2018 elections.
Maine showed interest in ranked-choice voting because the state had previously elected Republican Gov. Paul LePage with less than 50% of the vote. Ranked-choice voting eliminates the possibility of "spoiler" candidates and encourages voters to be more informed.
Ranked-choice voting has reinforced Maine's pattern of electing centrist, independent-thinking political leaders. It has also encouraged candidates to ally with each other and reach out to each other's supporters.
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