Vote in Maine’s first ranked-choice presidential primary straw poll

Update: Straw poll results

Mainers made history last year when they became the first state in the country to use ranked-choice voting (RCV) for a national election. Now, with a packed Democratic field for the 2020 Democratic primary race, Senate President Troy Jackson (D-Allagash) is hoping the state will expand RCV further and allow voters to rank the presidential candidates as well.

Later today, the Maine Legislature’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee will hear public comments on the legislation, which advocates hope will lead to a more positive campaign and results that better expresses the will of Maine voters.

Beacon is taking this opportunity to launch it’s own democratic experiment with Maine’s first ranked-choice Presidential straw poll. You can rank your current preferences in the wide-open Democratic field (including those who might still enter the race) right now by joining Beacon on Facebook messenger.

Jackson’s bill, LD 1083, would replace Maine’s current system of caucuses with a primary for the presidential nominating process, potentially allowing more voters to participate in the contest, and expand RCV to include both Maine’s primary and general elections for president of the United States.

“Donald Trump won the 2016 Republican presidential primaries with 44.9 percent of the vote, crossing the 40 percent threshold only after Ted Cruz and John Kasich exited the race,” said Kyle Bailey, who managed two successful referendum campaigns to pass and protect ranked-choice voting in Maine. “Maine can lead the way in changing the way we elect the next President of the United States with urgent action on Senator Jackson’s bill to expand this voter-approved reform.”

Participate in Beacon‘s ranked-choice straw poll to have your voice heard.