An Act To Simplify Voting in Maine by Placing a Moratorium on Ranked-choice Voting
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1447
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: WHITE, FARRIN, DILLINGHAM, FAULKINGHAM, HANINGTON, MARTIN, STEWART, STROM, CYRWAY, DAVIS
Amends: 21-A MRSA §1, 21-A MRSA §601, 21-A MRSA §723, 21-A MRSA §723-A

Legislative Document
No. 1447
H.P. 1059
House of Representatives, April 2, 2019
An Act To Simplify Voting in Maine by Placing a Moratorium on 
Ranked-choice Voting
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative WHITE of Washburn.
Cosponsored by Senator FARRIN of Somerset and
Representatives: DILLINGHAM of Oxford, FAULKINGHAM of Winter Harbor, 
HANINGTON of Lincoln, MARTIN of Greene, STEWART of Presque Isle, STROM of 
Pittsfield, Senators: CYRWAY of Kennebec, DAVIS of Piscataquis.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  21-A MRSA §1, sub-§27-C, as repealed and replaced by PL 2017, c. 316, 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:
A.  Primary elections for the offices of United States Senator, United States 
Representative to Congress, Governor, State Senator and State Representative; and
B.  General and special elections for the offices of United States Senator and United 
States Representative to Congress; and.
This subsection is repealed December 1, 2023 unless, prior to that date, the voters of the 
State ratify an amendment to the Constitution of Maine, Article IV, Part First, Section 5, 
Article IV, Part Second, Sections 4 and 5 and Article V, Part First, Section 3 authorizing 
the Legislature, by proper enactment, to determine the method by which the Governor 
and members of the State Senate and House of Representatives are elected.
Sec. 2.  21-A MRSA §1, sub-§35-A, as enacted by IB 2015, c. 3, §2, is amended 
to read:
35-A.  Ranked-choice voting. "Ranked-choice voting" means the method of casting 
and tabulating votes in which voters rank candidates in order of preference, tabulation 
proceeds in sequential rounds in which last-place candidates are defeated and the 
candidate with the most votes in the final round is elected.
This subsection is repealed December 1, 2023 unless, prior to that date, the voters of the 
State ratify an amendment to the Constitution of Maine, Article IV, Part First, Section 5, 
Article IV, Part Second, Sections 4 and 5 and Article V, Part First, Section 3 authorizing 
the Legislature, by proper enactment, to determine the method by which the Governor 
and members of the State Senate and House of Representatives are elected.
Sec. 3.  21-A MRSA §601, sub-§2, ¶J, as amended by PL 2017, c. 316, §3, is 
further amended to read:
J.  For elections determined by ranked-choice voting, the ballot must be simple and 
easy to understand and allow a voter to rank candidates for an office in order of 
preference. A voter may include no more than one write-in candidate among that 
voter's ranked choices for each office.
This paragraph is repealed December 1, 2023 unless, prior to that date, the voters of 
the State ratify an amendment to the Constitution of Maine, Article IV, Part First, 
Section 5, Article IV, Part Second, Sections 4 and 5 and Article V, Part First, Section 
authorizing the Legislature, by proper enactment, to determine the method by 
which the Governor and members of the State Senate and House of Representatives 
are elected.
Sec. 4.  21-A MRSA §723, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2017, c. 248, §5, is further 
amended to read:
1.  Primary election.  In a primary election held before December 1, 2023, the 
person who receives a plurality of the votes cast for nomination to any office, as long as 
there is at least one vote cast for that office, is nominated for that office, except for write-
in candidates under paragraph A.  In a primary election held on or after December 1, 
2023, the person who is determined the winner pursuant to section 723-A for nomination 
to any office, as long as there is at least one vote cast for that office, is nominated for that 
office, except for write-in candidates under paragraph A.
A.  A write-in candidate who complies with section 722-A and who fulfills the other 
qualifications under section 334 may be nominated at the primary election if that 
person receives a number of valid write-in votes equal to at least twice the minimum 
number of signatures required under section 335, subsection 5 on a primary petition 
for a candidate for that office.
B.  The Secretary of State shall immediately certify by mail the nomination of each 
person nominated by the primary election.
Sec. 5.  21-A MRSA §723-A, sub-§6, as enacted by IB 2015, c. 3, §5, is amended 
to read:
6.  Application.  This section applies to elections held on or after January 1, 2018 
December 1, 2023.
Sec. 6.  21-A MRSA §723-A, sub-§7 is enacted to read:
7.  Contingent repeal.  This section is repealed December 1, 2023 unless, prior to 
that date, the voters of the State ratify an amendment to the Constitution of Maine, Article 
IV, Part First, Section 5, Article IV, Part Second, Sections 4 and 5 and Article V, Part 
First, Section 3 authorizing the Legislature, by proper enactment, to determine the 
method by which the Governor and members of the State Senate and House of 
Representatives are elected.
Sec. 7.  Contingent legislation.  If the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 21-A, section 
723-A is repealed pursuant to Title 21-A, section 723-A, subsection 7, the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over election matters shall submit a bill 
to the Second Regular Session of the 131st Legislature to reflect the repeal of ranked-
choice voting provisions found in the Maine Revised Statutes.
SUMMARY
This bill suspends the use of ranked-choice voting until elections held after December 
1, 2023.  The bill provides that the laws governing ranked-choice voting are repealed 
December 1, 2023 unless the Constitution of Maine is amended to authorize the 
Legislature to determine the method by which the Governor and members of the 
Legislature are elected.