Tag Archives: Ranked-choice voting

Are states still popular?

Should we even bother having states? Apparently, that is a question which needs to be asked. Earlier this week, the Maine Senate endorsed the so-called “National Popular Vote.” It would, by law, compel Maine’s Electoral College representatives to cast their ballots for whoever wins a plurality — not a numeric majority — of individual ballots […]

Mills won the Democratic primary, but did ranked-choice voting work?

The winner of the Democratic gubernatorial primary, by technical knockout in the fourth round, is Janet Mills. Why a TKO over her six opponents, rather than a Balboa-esqe KO? We’ve got to go to the tape. If you look closely, 131,330 Maine Democrats cast ballots. Mills won with 62,959 votes in Round 4. So, out […]

Interesting times in the 1st Congressional District

Did you miss it? With all our attention on the primary, there was some other big political news in Maine over the past few weeks. The gubernatorial race is shaping up as a contest between Shawn Moody, Alan Caron, Terry Hayes, and a Democrat to be named later. Those on the left are salivating at […]

Want to bet on what Tuesday’s election will bring?

It’s prediction time. While the Supreme Court invalidated federal laws preventing gambling on sports a few weeks back, placing a wager on elections remains illegal in most American jurisdictions. So there is no money on the line as I try to predict the outcomes of next week’s election, just bragging rights (or a lack thereof). […]

Hanging chad type problems could come to Maine with ranked-choice voting

Remember the “hanging chad” guy? During the 2000 presidential election, his picture was made famous, lifting his glasses and staring intently a ballot to try and divine the voter’s intent. I’m a little concerned we may have a Down East version this June. I’ll save my “your-guess-is-as-good-as-mine” predictions as to the election’s outcomes for next […]

The GOP convention will be Coolio

It is going to be wild in Augusta this weekend. After all, there ain’t no party like the Grand Old Party. Why? The Grand Old Party won’t stop. With apologies to Coolio, Maine Republicans are gathering in the capital to hold their biennial convention. It is an event steeped in tradition and pageantry. However, its […]

Maine must clean up the ranked-choice voting mess

What a mess. That’s the only word I can find that fits the trials and tribulations of ranked-choice voting. Last week, the secretary of state and attorney general found mistakes in the people’s veto effort, which plunged our upcoming June election into chaos. Advocates filed a lawsuit; Secretary of State Matt Dunlap said he wouldn’t […]

Ranked-choice voting for governor is exciting — like math!

I really like math. So what does that have to do with Maine politics? Well, it turns out at June’s gubernatorial primary we will vote by ranked choice ballot. That means math. As we sit here today, several Democrats — Sean Faircloth, Jim Boyle, and Patrick Eisenhart — have dropped out of the race for […]

Big money doesn’t always lead to big results

A few million bucks doesn’t buy what it used to. That seems to be the message from the Georgia special election. And it’s the same message from Augusta, where lawmakers are considering changes to last November’s referenda. South of the Mason-Dixon, newly-elected Re. Karen Handel spent a little over $3 million on her campaign. Her […]

Don’t be silly, let’s get things done in Augusta

Tuesday’s advisory opinion by Maine’s top justices that, effectively, ranked-choice voting was unconstitutional brought several reactions. Some people offered “told you so.” Others cheered the ruling on policy grounds. Some of the proposal’s proponents accepted the decision and declared a movement for a constitutional amendment. And, yes, we saw some provocative political statements trying to make […]