US EditionBill that Would Expand Ranked-Choice Voting in Maine Deemed Unconstitutional by SJC
The 30-page ruling says state races must be decided by plurality, rejecting a workaround backed by Democratic lawmakers and voting-rights advocates.
- On Monday, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court ruled that LD 1666, which would expand ranked-choice voting to general elections for governor and state legislative seats, violates the Maine Constitution.
- The justices concluded that the Maine Constitution's requirement for election by a 'plurality of votes' prohibits the additional 'tabulations' ranked-choice voting requires, upholding a 2017 advisory opinion limiting the system to primaries and federal races.
- Attorney General Aaron Frey broke with his party to challenge the measure as unconstitutional, while the court emphasized the process relies on 'instruction from the voter' rather than a single vote as the Maine Constitution requires.
- Maine Republican Party Chairman Jim Deyermond praised the ruling, saying it provides 'clarity against efforts to pollute our state elections,' while Sen. Cameron Reny, who sponsored the bill, expressed disappointment with the outcome.
- Although Reny remains 'committed to finding a lawful path' to uphold voter intent, the bill will not move forward, blocking ranked-choice expansion for the 2026 elections ahead.
20 Articles
20 Articles
Proposal to Expand Ranked-Choice Voting in Maine Is Unconstitutional: Maine Supreme Court
A proposed expansion of ranked-choice voting in Maine would violate the state Constitution, the Maine Supreme Court opined on Monday. The bill, L.D. 1666, has enough support to pass the Democrat-majority Legislature. It proposes broadening ranked-choice voting to gubernatorial and state legislative seats, counting only the final vote tally to determine a winner. State lawmakers asked the Maine Supreme Court to examine the legislation before the …
Republicans Get Win In Maine Ranked Choice Voting Case
The highest court in Maine sided with the Republican Party in a ruling on expanding ranked-choice voting. The court ruled, “LD 1666’s conception of a vote as being a series of instructions or rankings that, when tabulated pursuant to a ranked-choice process, leads to an eventual final vote is inconsistent with the constitutional concept of a ‘vote.” Maine Public.org: Maine’s Supreme Judicial Court said Monday that a proposed expansion of ranked-…
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noahreport.comRepublicans Get Win In Maine Election Case
The highest court in Maine sided with the Republican Party in a ruling on expanding ranked-choice voting. The court ruled, “LD 1666’s conception of a vote as being a series of instructions or rankings that, when tabulated pursuant to a ranked-choice process, leads to an eventual final vote is inconsistent with the constitutional concept of a ‘vote.” Maine Public.org: Maine’s Supreme Judicial Court said Monday that a proposed expansion of ranked-…
Ranked-Choice Voting Expansion Unanimously Declared Unconstitutional by Maine Supreme Court
The Maine Supreme Court is in unanimous agreement that expanding the use of ranked-choice voting to include all state elections would represent a violation of the Maine State Constitution. Maine has used ranked-choice voting for federal offices since 2018, but the Maine Supreme Court explained in a 2017 advisory opinion that requiring candidates for state [...] The post Ranked-Choice Voting Expansion Unanimously Declared Unconstitutional by Main…
Maine Supreme Court Shoots Down Dems’ ‘Unconstitutional’ Ranked-Choice Voting Scheme
In a Monday advisory opinion, the Maine Supreme Court unanimously determined that legislation aimed at expanding the use of ranked choice voting (RCV) in the state would, “if enacted, violate the Maine Constitution.” “[T]his decision provides clarity against efforts to pollute our state elections with Ranked-Choice Voting,” Maine Republican Party Chairman Jim Deyermond said in […]
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