With nearly 25 seeking the Democratic nomination for president, and a likely five-way general election with the major party nominees, minor party nominees, and an independent billionaire, we need ranked-choice voting in 2020 to eliminate vote-splitting and ensure that the next leader of the free world is supported, and not opposed, by a majority of voters.

Ranked-choice voting is now used in every federal primary and general election in Maine except for the presidential election. There’s a simple fix: the Maine Legislature and governor need to pass simple legislation that would expand ranked-choice voting in Maine for the presidential general election and for any new presidential primary that is created and funded by the state.

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-point margin.

Maine voters want ranked-choice voting, and we desperately need it in the most consequential – and most crowded – presidential election in our lifetimes. I encourage our lawmakers from Knox County to vote in favor of legislation to enact ranked-choice voting for president.

 

Amy Fischer

Camden