Maine supporters of ranked choice voting take their case to court

AUGUSTA – Eight candidates are asking a judge to make sure the state’s ranked-choice voting system is in place in time for the June primary elections.

The Committee for Ranked Choice Voting has submitted petitions for a people’s veto referendum aimed nullifying a legislative delay. If there are enough signatures, then the legislative delay would be stayed, allowing the system to be implemented in June.

But committee chairman Dick Woodbury said Friday that there’s still uncertainty, and he hopes a Superior Court judge will “establish some clarity.”

The ranked-choice system lets voters rank ballot choices from first to last in a system that ensures the winner gets a majority. It would apply to primaries and federal races but not gubernatorial or legislative races to avoid a conflict with the Maine Constitution.