AUGUSTA, MAINE -- Four days after the Maine Legislature voted to thwart the will of the voters by delaying and repealing the voter-approved Ranked Choice Voting law, the Committee for Ranked Choice Voting (RCV Maine) submitted an application to the secretary of state to launch a People's Veto referendum to restore the election reform.
Maine’s Constitution gives the people the right to reverse decisions of the Legislature through the power of the People's Veto.
388,273 Maine citizens voted to take back their democracy last November when they voted to adopt Ranked Choice Voting by the second-largest referendum vote of the people in Maine's history.
Citizens will have 90 days to collect 61,123 valid signatures to force a People’s Veto. If successful, the People's Veto will freeze Maine's Ranked Choice Voting law in place and require its implementation for the June 2018 primary election for state and federal offices.
"Voters want Ranked Choice Voting implemented now, starting with the June 2018 election, because we want more voice and more choice in our democracy," said former State Senator Dick Woodbury, who was the lead signer on the People's Veto application and will continue to chair the Committee.
Thousands of Maine people have volunteered countless hours over many years to give voters the freedom to vote for the candidate they like best without worrying that they will help elect the candidate they like least.
“Ranked Choice Voting gives power to the people,” added Cushing Samp, a volunteer with the Committee for Ranked Choice Voting. “I’m going to knock on the door of every person I know in my community and ask them to sign the People’s Veto petition because our democracy belongs to the people and Maine’s Constitution gives us the final say.”
The Committee is hopeful that Secretary of State Matt Dunlap will approve the petition without delay. More than 300 volunteers have already signed up to collect signatures on Election Day.
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