Resolve, To Establish the Task Force To Implement Ranked-choice Voting
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1256
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: CHAPMAN

Legislative Document
No. 1256
H.P. 879
House of Representatives, March 30, 2017
Resolve, To Establish the Task Force To Implement Ranked-choice 
Voting
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative CHAPMAN of Brooksville.
Sec. 1.  Task force established.  Resolved:  That, notwithstanding Joint Rule 
353, the Task Force To Implement Ranked-choice Voting, referred to in this resolve as 
"the task force," is established; and be it further 
Sec. 2.  Task force membership.  Resolved:  That the task force consists of 9 
members as follows: 
1.  The Secretary of State or the secretary's designee; 
2.  The Deputy Secretary of State overseeing the Bureau of Corporations, Elections 
and Commissions or the deputy secretary's designee; 
3.  The Director of the Division of Elections and Voting within the Bureau of 
Corporations, Elections and Commissions or the director's designee; 
4.  The chair of the Committee for Ranked Choice Voting, or the chair's designee; 
5.  One member appointed by the President of the Senate; 
6.  One member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; 
7.  One member who is an expert in voting systems appointed by the President of the 
University of Maine; and 
8.  Two at-large members appointed by the members of the task force described in 
subsections 1 to 7; and be it further 
Sec. 3.  Chair.  Resolved:  That the Secretary of State or the secretary's designee 
is the chair of the task force; and be it further 
Sec. 4.  Appointments; convening of task force.  Resolved:  That all 
appointments under section 2, subsections 1 to 7 must be made no later than 30 days 
following the effective date of this resolve.  The appointing authorities shall notify the 
Executive Director of the Legislative Council once all appointments have been 
completed.  If 30 days or more after the effective date of this resolve a majority of but not 
all appointments have been made, the chair may request authority and the Legislative 
Council may grant authority for the task force to meet and conduct its business; and be it 
further 
Sec. 5.  Duties.  Resolved:  That the task force shall make recommendations for 
rules and changes to the law to implement ranked-choice voting.  These proposed rules 
and changes to the law must include but are not limited to provisions for the following: 
1.  Training for municipal clerks and other election officials; 
2.  Template design for ballots; 
3.  The use of paper ballots and the optional use of optical scanners; 
4.  The role of municipal clerks and other election officials; 
5.  Marking ballots; 
6.  Counting ballots; 
7.  Declaration of an election winner; 
8.  Recounts; and 
9.  Challenges of election results, including challenges due to mistake or fraud; and 
be it further 
Sec. 6.  Staff assistance.  Resolved:  That the Department of the Secretary of 
State shall provide necessary staffing services to the task force; and be it further 
Sec. 7.  Report.  Resolved:  That, no later than December 6, 2017, the task force 
shall submit a report that includes its findings and recommendations, including suggested 
legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs.  The Joint 
Standing Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs may report out legislation concerning 
the report to the Second Regular Session of the 128th Legislature. 
SUMMARY 
This resolve establishes the Task Force To Implement Ranked-choice Voting.  The 
task force is charged with making recommendations for rules and changes to the law to 
implement ranked-choice voting.  The task force is required to submit a report containing 
its findings and recommendations to the Joint Standing Committee on Veterans and Legal 
Affairs by December 6, 2017.  The Joint Standing Committee on Veterans and Legal 
Affairs may report out legislation concerning the report to the Second Regular Session of 
the 128th Legislature.