Ranked-choice voting is used in every federal primary and federal general election in Maine except for the presidential election. The Maine Legislature is considering a bill, L.D. 1083, that would remedy this and align Maine’s election law with the intent of voters.

L.D. 1083, commonly called “the ranked-choice voting for president bill,” would adopt ranked-choice voting for the presidential general election and for any new presidential primary that is created and funded by the Maine Legislature.

Twice, in two years, Maine voters have rejected the old pick-one, first-past-the-post voting system and replaced it with ranked-choice voting. In November 2016, Maine voters adopted ranked-choice voting by the second largest initiative vote of the people in Maine’s history. In June 2018, Maine voters protected ranked-choice voting by a widening 8-percentage-point margin.

We are one state. We should have a uniform voting system. That system should be the one that is supported by a growing majority of Maine voters (ranked-choice voting), and not one that is opposed by a majority of voters (the old pick-one, first-past-the-post voting system).

L.D. 1083, introduced by Senate President Troy Jackson, proposes a simple expansion of Maine’s existing ranked-choice voting system, which worked well in 2018.

I encourage my former legislative colleagues to vote in favor of L.D. 1083. Ranked-choice voting is simple, fair and easy, and we need it in the 2020 presidential primary and general election.

Jane Pringle

former Democratic state representative

Windham

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