Following the Maine Republican Party’s announcement that they will attempt to overturn Ranked Choice Voting for a third time, Maine Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Marra issued the following statement:
“Maine people have twice affirmed Ranked Choice Voting through statewide ballot referendums because we value elections that are fairer and more inclusive. Democrats, Republicans, and independents alike report that it’s important elections reflect the will of a majority of voters—exactly what RCV achieves, and what its opponents are trying to undermine.”
Background on Maine People’s Support for Ranked Choice Voting
Exit polling conducted in the 2018 General Election that asked how important it is for a candidate to win a majority (50 percent of votes plus one) in an election, which is precisely what RCV achieves, found that:
- Seven in 10 Democrats (73 percent) and five in 10 Republicans and independents (52 percent) said it was “very important.”
- When including respondents who said it was “somewhat important," majority support levels rose to nine in 10 Democrats (93 percent), eight in 10 independents (81 percent) and seven in 10 Republicans (72 percent).
Exit polling plus the results of the two previous RCV referendums in 2016 and 2018 paint a clear picture that Mainers support ranked choice voting.
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