I offer two reasons to vote “yes” on Question 1.
• Returning constitutionally permissible Maine elections to majority rule with ranked-choice voting is an antidote to the hyper-partisanship currently eroding democratic norms. Ranked-choice voting favors election of candidates with less extreme positions whose appeal to a broader swath of the electorate allows them to compromise.
• For those people who already supported ranked-choice voting (referendum Question 5 passed in November 2016 and became law but the Maine Legislature then crippled it with amendments that block its implementation) — this is a chance to tell candidates for state office on June 12 to stop messing with the citizen initiative process. Candidates should not try to blame the people of Maine (“People don’t know what they’re voting for,” “It’s outsiders trying to influence Maine voters,” “Ranked-choice voting is a sham”) for exercising their constitutional right to address legislative gridlock.
A candidate should lead on the issue or get out of the way.
Ralph Harder, Auburn
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