Gov. Mills allows ranked-choice voting in Maine's presidential elections
AUGUSTA — Gov. Janet Mills said she will allow Maine to become the first state in the country to use ranked-choice voting in presidential elections by letting the legislation to go into effect without her signature.
However, by not signing the bill and instead releasing it without a signature, the law will not take effect in time for ranked-choice voting to be used in the presidential primary in March.
In her memo to the Legislature released Friday afternoon Mills said she was not signing the bill, in part, because lawmakers had failed to allocate money to cover the additional expense and she hopes they will do so in the next session of the Legislature starting in January.
“My experience with ranked-choice voting is that it gives voters a greater voice and it encourages civility among campaigns and candidates at a time when such civility is sorely needed,” Mills said in the prepared statement. “At the same time, there are serious questions about the cost and logistics of ranked-choice voting, including collecting and transporting ballots from more than 400 towns in the middle of winter, and questions remain about the actual impact of this particular primary on the selection of delegates to party conventions.”
Read more: https://www.pressherald.com/2019/09/06/governor-mills-allows-ranked-choice-voting-in-maines-presidential-elections/
(Portland Press Herald)