Tag: Maine

MA

  • “Community Documentary Night” to host RCV film discussion Oct 4, 2026

    | League of Women Voters, Delaware |

    LWVDE has come across a free online discussion that sounds like a great way for Leaguers to acquaint or re-acquaint themselves with the ranked choice voting topic. Community Documentary Night, based out of Sandy Springs, Georgia, will host an RCV film discussion in collaboration with RCV advocacy groups in several states.This free Special Virtual Documentary Night will be from 7 pm to 9 pm Eastern Time on Sunday, October 4th in honor of National Voter Education Week. The event is flexible so people can come late or leave early if needed. 

    “Rise, fall, and rebirth of RCV”

    For this event, participants are meeting to talk about the film, The Battle for Ranked Choice Voting. From Maine to New Mexico, citizens across America are considering election reform through ranked choice voting (RCV). The story unfolds as voters organizing to enact the reform face fierce pushback from establishment politicians in Maine. The film looks at the historical rise, fall, and rebirth of RCV in the United States and abroad, and embeds viewers in the front line of the battle.

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  • Beth Fukumoto: Who Doesn’t Like Ranked Choice Voting? Incumbents

    | Patti Epler | Honolulu Civil Beat |

    Ranked choice voting has only one real enemy in American politics, and it isn’t a political party. It’s incumbency.

    Ranked choice voting, which will be on Honolulu residents’ ballots in November, is one of the fastest growing voting reforms in the country. Seventeen cities, counties and states now use some version of ranked-choice voting, which advocates say broadens who can actually run and win. That’s precisely why the reform has gained powerful enemies.

    “More civil campaign culture”

    Honolulu Question 5, which will appear on Oʻahu ballots in November, is our best opportunity to implement a broadly applicable ranked choice voting system that could increase competition, build a more civil campaign culture and engage more voters.

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  • Irvine Voters to Decide on Upgrading Elections for Ranked Choice Voting

    | Michaela Gonzalez Montaner | Voter Choice Irvine |

    IRVINE, CA — This November, Irvine voters will have the opportunity to improve their local elections and strengthen representative democracy by voting YES on Measure D, a ballot measure to adopt ranked choice voting (RCV) for future mayoral and city council races.

    “Voters can vote their conscience every time”

    “Ranked choice voting means voters can vote their conscience every time without fear of wasting their vote,” said Branda Lin, the Director of Voter Choice Irvine. "In Irvine, spoiler candidates and vote splitting routinely result in candidates winning with only a third of the vote. In ranked choice voting elections, this threat is neutralized and your vote is never wasted.”

    This spring, 100+ residents successfully petitioned Irvine City Council to put the issue on the ballot in November. In just a month, the effort has been endorsed by dozens of elected officials, organizations and Irvine community leaders. Among the endorsers are the Democrats of Greater Irvine and California Libertarian Party.

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  • Breaking Down Ranked Choice Voting in the 2026 Wisconsin Primary

    | Larry Sandler | Milwaukee Magazine |

    Crowley edged Hong by half a percentage point in the crowded and chaotic Aug. 11 primary, in which four of seven candidates dropped out and Crowley jumped back in, all after ballots were printed and absentee voting was under way. The race’s wild trajectory left some voters wondering how the campaign might have played out in a ranked-choice voting system.

    Under the current system, you only get one vote. And in this state, if you cast an absentee ballot for a candidate who drops out, you can’t change your vote to someone who is still in the race.

    “68,000 votes that could have gone to someone whose candidacy was still alive”

    RCV advocates at Fair Vote call those “zombie votes.” Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes and former state development chief Missy Hughes weren’t among the walking dead themselves, but their names remained undead on the Democratic primary ballot after they stopped running. Together they received more than 68,000 votes that could have gone to someone whose candidacy was still alive, in a race decided by less than 3,800 votes. With RCV, their supporters’ second or third choices could have counted toward the outcome. 

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  • Ranked-choice voting will be used in U.S. Senate race in Maine

    | Rachel Ohm | Portland Press Herald |

    Ranked-choice voting will be used in the U.S. Senate race featuring incumbent Sen. Susan Collins and Democratic challenger Troy Jackson.

    That’s because a half-dozen write-in candidates have formally declared in the race, according to a list from the Maine Department of the Secretary of State. The deadline for candidates to declare as write-ins in state races was Tuesday at 5 p.m.

    “Ranked-choice voting is used only in federal races and state primaries”

    As a result of their candidacies, voters will get ranked-choice ballots in the U.S. Senate race, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said at a Tuesday afternoon event with reporters.

    Under state law, ranked-choice voting is used only in federal races and state primaries, and cannot be used in the November election for governor.

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  • America’s Democracy Is Cracking. The Revolution to Rebuild It Has Already Begun.

    | Rob Richie | IVN |

    Americans’ celebration of 250 years of independence invites reflection on the Declaration of Independence and its values of equality, liberty, and democratic renewal. Those values are a beacon to guide where our nation must go to live up to its promise.

    “Fairer outcomes for voters”

    Ranked choice voting (RCV) has moved from an exciting idea to deciding presidential elections in Alaska, Maine and Washington, D.C. and electing governors, Members of Congress, and leaders of major cities. RCV clearly provides fairer outcomes for voters, who in exit surveys show consistent support. Allowing voters to rank candidates in order of choice upholding majority rule by eliminating the “spoiler” effect, and enabling meaningful consideration of independents and minor parties.

    Expect at least three cities to add to the streak of more than 30 straight wins for RCV on city ballots, and ongoing proof of concept in practice. With voters under 50 overwhelmingly in support of RCV, we could see Congress act to remove administrative barriers to RCV in 2029, unlocking progress toward general reimagining voting as ranking.

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