An Act To Implement Ranked-choice Voting for Presidential Primary and General Elections in Maine
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1083
Committee Amendment CA_A_S313 (Senate)
Amends: 21-A MRSA §1, 21-A MRSA §723-A, 21-A MRSA §801, 21-A MRSA §805

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT " rt" to S.P. 315, L.D. 1083, Bill, "An Act To 
Implement Ranked-choice Voting for Presidential Primary and General Elections in 
Maine" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the 
following: 
'Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §1, sub-§27-C, as repealed and replaced by PL 2017, c. 
316, §1, is amended to read: 
27-C. Elections determined by ranked-choice voting. "Elections determined by 
ranked-choice voting" means any of the following elections in which 3 or more 
candidates have qualified to be listed on the ballot for a particular office or at least 2 such 
candidates plus one or more declared write-in candidates have qualified for that particular 
office: 
A. 
Primary elections for the offices of United States Senator, United States 
Representative to Congress, Governor, State Senator and State Representative; 
B. General and special elections for the offices of United States Senator and United 
States Representative to Congress; arui 
D. General elections for presidential electors: and 
Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §1, sub-§27-C, ,IE is enacted to read: 
E. Primary elections for the office of President of the United States. 
Sec. 3. 21-A MRSA §723-A, sub-§5-B is enacted to read: 
5-B. Presidential primarv elections; selection of delegates. Notwithstanding any 
provision of this section to the contrary, selection and allocation of delegates to a party's 
national presidential nominating convention must be in accordance with any reasonable 
procedures established at the state party convention. 
Sec. 4. 21-A MRSA §801, sub-§2 is enacted to read: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" (-\ "to S.P. 315, L.D. 1083 ( S. 3 \ '3) 
2. Counting of ballots. Counting of ballots for candidates for President must 
proceed according to the ranked-choice method of counting votes described in section 
723-A. 
Sec. 5. 21-A MRSA §805, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 161, §6, is amended 
to read: 
2. Presidential electors. The presidential electors at large shall cast their ballots for 
the presidential and vice-presidential candidates who received the largest number of votes 
in the State according to the ranked-choice method of counting votes described in section 
723-A. The presidential electors of each congressional district shall cast their ballots for 
the presidential and vice-presidential candidates who received the largest number of votes 
in each respective congressional district according to the ranked-choice method of 
counting votes described in section 723-A. 
Sec. 6. Contingent effective date. Those sections of this Act that enact the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 21-A, section 1, subsection 27-C, paragraph E and Title 
21-A, section 723-A, subsection 5-B take effect upon the enactment of laws adopting a 
presidential primary election in this State.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, strikes and replaces 
the bill. 
Under the amendment, general elections for presidential electors must be 
determined by ranked-choice voting. The amendment further provides that, if a law 
establishing a presidential primary election is enacted in the State, primary elections for 
the office of President of the United States must be determined by ranked-choice voting. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 06/14/19 .feac:. 
LD 1083 
LR 1160(02) 
An Act To Implement Ranked-choice Voting for Presidential Primary and General Elections in Maine 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "Ff ( S - 3'1'5') 
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
The bill provides for ranked-choice voting for general elections for presidential electors if a law establishing a 
presidential primary election is enacted in Maine. Ranked-choice voting is currently in place for state primary 
elections and general elections for federal Congressional candidates. Requiring ranked-choice voting for general 
elections for presidential electors is not expected to add significant costs for this expansion. 
LRl 160(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1