Tired of the angry, divisive, nasty campaigning this year? Then I urge you to vote “yes” for ranked-choice voting, Question 5 on the November ballot.

With ranked-choice voting, voters rank candidates from most to least favorite. If one candidate receives at least 50 percent, that person wins. If not, the candidate with the fewest first choices is dropped and his or her second choices go to the remaining candidates. This is repeated until one candidate gets at least 50 percent.

Ranked-choice voting has been used successfully in Portland to elect mayors. Voters can vote for whom they really want, without their votes being “wasted.” It encourages politicians to be civil to each other, to appeal to many voters and be their first or second choice. It discourages aiming at a narrow minority of their base.

Let’s do something positive to make our politics reflect our Maine values of courtesy and working together!

Susan Payne

Cape Elizabeth