By Patrick R. Potyondy

Maine lawmakers are expected to consider ranked-choice voting when they convene in a special session this fall.

The state’s 2016 ranked-choice ballot measure will be one of the issues legislators will consider. Last November, voters approved a ballot measure instituting ranked-choice voting (RCV) with 52 percent of the vote. But Maine’s Supreme Court quickly threw its constitutionality into question with an advisory opinion that helped add it to the special session’s to-do list.

Voters made Maine the only state in the union to adopt ranked-choice voting, which the state will apply to most statewide and federal offices including the state legislature and the governorship. While other states watch the issue closely, proponents of the 2016 citizen initiative plan to hold a referendum if the special session votes to do away with RCV.

To learn more about ranked-choice voting check out these resources:

NCSL’s LegisBrief on Ranked-Choice Voting is a wonderful explainer for what you really need to know.

The Ranked Choice Voting Resource Center recently produced a webinar that not only thoroughly explains the system but explains the deep history behind this voting method. It’s older than you might think! Watch the webinar here.

For those looking for a deep dive into the weeds, the RCV Resource Center also has a “Compilation of Ranked Choice Voting Resources and Model Practices” document.

Patrick Potyondy is a legislative policy specialist and Mellon-ACLS public fellow in NCSL’s Elections and Redistricting Program.

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