| Patrick Whittle | Washington Post |
PORTLAND, Maine — Maine is advancing a proposal that would make it the second state to elect its governor using ranked choice voting, and it is expected for a vote in the state Legislature in the coming weeks after receiving a key committee approval. Maine and Alaska both use the ranked voting format for congressional and presidential elections, and cities in many other states are embracing it for mayoral and other elections. Alaska uses a version of it for governor.
Chosen by a true majority
The sponsor of the amendment proposal, Democratic Sen. Cameron Reny of Bristol, said the change would reflect the will of state residents who approved ranked voting in 2016.
“We ought to be governed by people who are chosen by a true majority of the population,” Reny said. “The idea that most people should be in control of their leadership and their representation should be a bipartisan issue.”