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Maine GOP launches people's veto campaign against ranked-choice voting

If the petition can gather enough valid voter signatures, the use of ranked-choice voting would be put on hold in Maine's November 2020 presidential election.

MAINE, USA — Maine voters could get another chance to address the topic of ranked-choice voting in presidential elections, depending on how much support a petition by the Maine Republican Party receives.

Maine GOP announced Tuesday it is launching a people's veto petition to repeal ranked-choice voting in Maine's presidential elections.

If the petition can gather enough valid voter signatures (63,067), the use of ranked choice voting would be put on hold in Maine's November 2020 presidential election and the repeal question would be on the ballot.

"Over the next several months Mainers from Kittery to Fort Kent will be working to repeal Ranked Choice Voting from being used in our Presidential Elections and finally begin the process of restoring Maine’s elections to their traditional form," Dr. Demi Kouzounas, Chair of the Maine Republican Party, said in a statement.

According to NEWS CENTER Maine's partners at the Portland Press Herald, Republicans have 90 days from the end of the current state Legislative session, expected sometime in April or May, to gather the required voter signatures. 

"One person, one vote is a bedrock American principle. Ranked Choice Voting is a direct violation of that principle and threatens the rights of all Mainers and delegitimatizes our election process," Kouzounas said.

Maine voters originally voted in favor of ranked-choice voting in 2016. In 2018, Republican incumbent Bruce Poliquin lost his congressional race against Democratic Rep. Jared Golden and filed a lawsuit alleging the balloting system violated the U.S. Constitution. Poliquin's lawsuit was rejected by a federal judge.

“Mainers have time and again reaffirmed their commitment to making elections fairer and more inclusive through ranked choice voting," Maine Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Marra said. "This new attempt is nothing more than an effort to protect President Trump and reject the will of Maine voters.”

As it currently stands, ranked-choice voting will be used both in Maine's 2020 U.S. Senate race and in the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

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