Ranked-choice voting is constitutional, simple and nonpartisan. It can be used, right now, for the state and federal June primary elections and the November general elections for federal offices. There are absolutely no constitutional questions with any of those elections. And it can be used at the local level just as it is in Portland for mayoral elections.

Also, as the people of Portland can say, ranked-choice voting is simple. Ranked-choice ballots are easy to understand and easily used with other ballots. Mainers are already using different ballots because ballots for local offices where we vote for multiple candidates differ from the ballots for other elections. Examples of ranked-choice ballots are online for anyone to see. Saying Mainers can’t understand a ranked-choice ballot insults our intelligence.

Ranked-choice voting is completely nonpartisan. It was introduced back when Angus King was governor, again with the support of Republicans when John Baldacci was governor, and again with Paul LePage. It is supported and used by voters across the political spectrum in Portland and other places around the country and the world.

Imagine the June primary elections, with at least 10 Democrats and five Republicans running for governor. Without ranked-choice voting, we could easily have major-party nominees “winning” with just around 20 percent of vote, or even less. The upcoming June primary is the perfect case for using ranked-choice voting, which provides an instant runoff process resulting in majority winners.

Please support the people’s veto campaign to restore ranked-choice voting, and tell Augusta politicians that we the people are putting the brakes on them blocking all of the referendums passed by the people of Maine.

Ron Bilancia

Brewer

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