A bill has been submitted in the Legislature to repeal ranked-choice voting in its entirety. This follows on the heels of legislative efforts to undermine and/or repeal the tax surcharge to fund education and the increase in the minimum wage, all approved my a majority of Maine voters via citizen referendum.
What purpose was served by these votes? What value, what weight do voter initiatives have if “the voice of the people” is subject to the approval of the Legislature? Do legislators presume to know better? Upon taking their seat, are they then anointed with some rarefied insight, beyond the reach of the masses?
Regardless of where you stand with regard to these ballot initiatives, they were passed by majorities of Maine voters; it should be a matter of concern that our Legislature has so little regard for the people’s voice that they would seek to overrule us almost as a matter of routine.
They work for us, don’t they?
Kevin Macdonald
Belgrade
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