Ranked Choice Voting avoids the time and expense of runoff elections while at the same time allowing majority rule

To the Editor;
Majority rule is the basis of democracies around the world. However, over a century ago, Maine chose to allow state elections to be won with less than a majority of the vote, in order to save the time and expense of runoff elections. Ranked Choice Voting avoids the time and expense of runoff elections while at the same time allowing majority rule.

Maine often elects candidates with less than a majority. This so troubled Maine Republicans that they cosponsored with Democrats a Ranked Choice Voting law in 2007, after Baldacci won with just 38 percent of the vote (it failed). Now that their candidate has been winning the governorship with less than a majority, the Maine Republican Party is strongly opposing Ranked Choice Voting.

In November 2016, Maine voters approved Ranked Choice Voting in the second largest referendum vote in Maine history. A year later, the Maine Legislature disregarded our will and repealed it. Earlier this year, Mainers collected more than 80,000 signatures in order to reverse their repeal (whew!) with a”‘People’s Veto.”

This is why on June 12t we will be using Ranked Choice Voting to choose our primary candidates. However, only if you vote “yes” on Question One will we be using it in future elections.On June 12, vote yes on Question One, the People’s Veto to protect Ranked Choice Voting. In order to see what the June 12 ranked choice ballot will look like, go to http://www.rcvmaine.com.

Bob Lodato
Charleston