Maine
Legislature
House Democratic Office
For
Immediate Release
June 21, 2017
House GOP Blocks
Constitutional Amendment for Ranked-Choice Voting
Bill
addressed constitutional concerns raised by Maine Supreme
Court
AUGUSTA — The Maine House on Friday failed
to enact legislation to amend Maine’s constitution to allow for the
implementation of ranked-choice voting in state and federal elections and
primaries. As a constitutional amendment, LD 1624 needed approval by
two-thirds of the Legislature for final enactment, but was blocked on a
party line vote of (78-68) in the House. Had it passed, it would have been
sent to the voters for approval or rejection.
House Majority
Leader Erin Herbig, D-Belfast and Assistant Majority Leader Jared Golden,
D-Lewiston, released the following statement:
“Mainers
asked for election reform and it is our responsibility to respect their
wishes, while upholding our duty as legislators. Today, Democrats and
every independent in the House voted to amend Maine’s constitution to
allow full implementation of ranked-choice voting. While Republicans
blocked that effort, the process is ongoing and we still have many votes
to take. I urge my colleagues to support implementation of ranked-choice
voting and I hope Mainers keep up the fight.”
LD 1624,
“RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine To
Implement Ranked-choice Voting” — as amended in the Committee on
Veterans and Legal Affairs, would have amended Maine’s constitution to
give authority over the form and structure of elections to the
Legislature, to be determined in statute. The effect of that amendment
would be to allow current statute, which implements ranked-choice voting,
to stand. This bill will now go to the Senate for a final vote, but
without a significant shift in votes, it is most likely to fail final
passage.
LD 1625 “An Act To Repeal the Ranked-choice Voting
Law" sponsored by Senator Garrett Mason, R-Lisbon Falls, has yet to be
considered by the House or Senate. The bill was passed through the
Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee with the end result of three separate
amended versions for the legislature to consider. Further votes will be
taken next week.