AUGUSTA — Maine Republicans are nearing the end of a new push to try to block a ranked-choice style of voting from the state’s presidential ballot.
Voters in the state approved of ranked choice voting in 2016, and it has since been applied to several races in the state, including congressional races. The voting style allows residents to rank candidates, and subsequent tabulations redistribute their votes.
The state is scheduled to use it in a presidential election for the first time in November. The race will include Republican President Trump, Democratic former Vice President Joe Biden and third-party candidates.
But the Maine Republican Party has organized a petition drive to try to overturn the use of ranked voting for president using a “people’s veto.”
The Republicans have until June 15 to collect the requisite signatures. If they succeed, the state won’t use ranked voting for president this year, and voters will instead get to decide whether they want to use it in the future.
Republican Party chair Demi Kouzounas said the party believes it has enough signatures, but is planning “one last big push” this week anyway.
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