Ranked Choice voting good for all parties

To the Editor;

I am writing to express my support of and invite others to consider supporting “Yes on 5” when we vote in November. This initiative is for Ranked Choice Voting, a simple, common sense reform to our voting system. If passed, Ranked Choice Voting will put power back in the hands of voters, will restore majority rule, and will give voters more voice in our democracy.

As a young Republican, I strongly believe this reform will benefit voters and encourage more policy-oriented campaigning.

With Ranked Choice Voting, candidates must reach out more broadly and build coalitions to win with a majority. Winners of elections should have the backing of broader coalitions of voters so that they can enact the people’s will. The process works just like runoff elections, without requiring voters to return to the polls to vote in another expensive, drawn-out election.

In nine of the last 11 races for Maine’s governor, candidates were elected by less than half of voters. In five of those races, candidates were elected by less than 40 percent of voters. In a representative democracy, our leaders should be elected by more than half of us, so they represent the people and are accountable to us, not narrow political factions.

Over 73,000 Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Greens and Libertarians across Maine signed petitions circulated by 900 volunteers to place this nonpartisan initiative on our November ballot. I encourage readers to learn more about this movement at www.YesOn5.me.

Lucy McDermott
Dover-Foxcroft