Americans have the right and the duty as citizens to vote in local, state and national elections. Voters in Maine recognized the importance of having their opinions and levels of support of candidates truly count when we approved ranked-choice voting last year. The Maine Legislature should honor this citizen-initiated law.

Since the Maine Supreme Judicial Court has found the use of ranked-choice voting unconstitutional in general elections for the Maine House, Maine Senate and governor, these three elections should be temporarily exempt from the ranked-choice process.

All Maine municipal elections and primary elections for state and national offices, and the general election for the U.S. House and Senate, should honor the will of the voters by utilizing the ranked-choice voting process in all upcoming elections. Portland voters have successfully used the dual process – ranked-choice and the plurality system – on the same ballot with no confusion or loss of integrity in the voting process.

Both sides need to compromise and work together to respect voters’ choices and implement ranked-choice voting in all elections where it does not violate current constitutional language. The Maine Constitution should be changed to allow inclusion of all state and national elections under the ranked-choice format. All of Maine will benefit and democracy will best be served from the full implementation of ranked-choice voting.

Kathie L. Jacks

Portland

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