Rep. Bruce Poliquin's (R-Maine) race to retain his House seat against Democrat Jared Golden will likely be the first national race in U.S. history to be decided via ranked choice voting. (Photo: JLeahMitchell/BradWGME/Twitter)
Nov 06, 2018
Maine is on the verge of making history as it appears the state's new ranked choice voting system--in use this year for the first time--will be needed in order to determine the ultimate winner of a too-close-to-call race for the U.S. House.
As of Wednesday afternoon, incumbentRep. Bruce Poliquin (R-Maine) had exactly 46 percent of the vote while Democratic challenger Jared Golden held 45.9 percent. Eighty-one percent of voting precincts had reported their results. Two independents, Tiffany Bond and William Hoar, had captured 5.7 and 2.4 percent of the vote respectively.
\u201cMaine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap tells me if the numbers continue to be this close as final C2 precincts report, they will have to use Ranked Choice Voting to determine a winner. Would be first Congressional race ever decided with RCV.\u201d— Danielle Waugh DaRos (@Danielle Waugh DaRos) 1541610393
Under the state's ranked choice voting (RCV) system, which voters approved for state-wide elections by referendum in June, Mainers are able to rank congressional candidates in order of preference.
A candidate must capture at least 50 percent of the vote for a race to be called for him or her. With neither Poliquin nor Golden appearing to have gathered a decisive majority of votes, votes for Bond and Hoar will likely be distributed to those voters' second and third choices until either the Republican or Democrat has 50 percent.
The use of RCV to elect a national candidate will ensure for the first time that voters in the 2nd Congressional District are represented fairly, advocates say, as whoever wins the instant run-off election will have been at least the second or third choice of most voters.
\u201cNo matter the outcome, we know the winner will earn the broadest possible support of voters thanks to #RankedChoiceVoting #MEpol #FVelections\u201d— FairVote (@FairVote) 1541562649
On Twitter, the electoral reform group Fair Vote highlighted a number of other races around the country in which voters will now be represented by senators and House members who had the approval of less than half of their constituents--or will have to hold new elections in order to name a winner.
\u201cGeorgia gov. race tops many #ElectionNight watch lists. But we might not know the winner tonight or even tomorrow under 2-round runoff system, via @LedgerEnquirer. Georgia could consider #RankedChoiceVoting for majority rule in 1 election. #GApol #GAgov https://t.co/8dj7ouo19I\u201d— FairVote (@FairVote) 1541560204
\u201cIf only Mississippi had #RankedChoiceVoting, the cost and low turnout characteristic of runoffs could be avoided entirely. #MIpol #FVelections\u201d— FairVote (@FairVote) 1541563306
As Benjamin I. Page and Martin Gilens wrote in The American Prospect last week, ranked-choice voting in congressional and Senate races would improve voter enthusiasm and turnout and fundamentally change how Americans are represented by their elected officials.
As Benjamin I. Page and Martin Gilens wrote in The American Prospect last week, ranked-choice voting in congressional races would improve voter enthusiasm and turnout nationwide while fundamentally changing how both constituents and candidates approach election-year decisions.
"If this reform were implemented throughout the country, it should result in a House of Representatives that actually looks and thinks like America," they wrote. "It would be a House that represents all views and all demographic characteristics in close proportion to their shares in the whole adult population of the United States."
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Maine is on the verge of making history as it appears the state's new ranked choice voting system--in use this year for the first time--will be needed in order to determine the ultimate winner of a too-close-to-call race for the U.S. House.
As of Wednesday afternoon, incumbentRep. Bruce Poliquin (R-Maine) had exactly 46 percent of the vote while Democratic challenger Jared Golden held 45.9 percent. Eighty-one percent of voting precincts had reported their results. Two independents, Tiffany Bond and William Hoar, had captured 5.7 and 2.4 percent of the vote respectively.
\u201cMaine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap tells me if the numbers continue to be this close as final C2 precincts report, they will have to use Ranked Choice Voting to determine a winner. Would be first Congressional race ever decided with RCV.\u201d— Danielle Waugh DaRos (@Danielle Waugh DaRos) 1541610393
Under the state's ranked choice voting (RCV) system, which voters approved for state-wide elections by referendum in June, Mainers are able to rank congressional candidates in order of preference.
A candidate must capture at least 50 percent of the vote for a race to be called for him or her. With neither Poliquin nor Golden appearing to have gathered a decisive majority of votes, votes for Bond and Hoar will likely be distributed to those voters' second and third choices until either the Republican or Democrat has 50 percent.
The use of RCV to elect a national candidate will ensure for the first time that voters in the 2nd Congressional District are represented fairly, advocates say, as whoever wins the instant run-off election will have been at least the second or third choice of most voters.
\u201cNo matter the outcome, we know the winner will earn the broadest possible support of voters thanks to #RankedChoiceVoting #MEpol #FVelections\u201d— FairVote (@FairVote) 1541562649
On Twitter, the electoral reform group Fair Vote highlighted a number of other races around the country in which voters will now be represented by senators and House members who had the approval of less than half of their constituents--or will have to hold new elections in order to name a winner.
\u201cGeorgia gov. race tops many #ElectionNight watch lists. But we might not know the winner tonight or even tomorrow under 2-round runoff system, via @LedgerEnquirer. Georgia could consider #RankedChoiceVoting for majority rule in 1 election. #GApol #GAgov https://t.co/8dj7ouo19I\u201d— FairVote (@FairVote) 1541560204
\u201cIf only Mississippi had #RankedChoiceVoting, the cost and low turnout characteristic of runoffs could be avoided entirely. #MIpol #FVelections\u201d— FairVote (@FairVote) 1541563306
As Benjamin I. Page and Martin Gilens wrote in The American Prospect last week, ranked-choice voting in congressional and Senate races would improve voter enthusiasm and turnout and fundamentally change how Americans are represented by their elected officials.
As Benjamin I. Page and Martin Gilens wrote in The American Prospect last week, ranked-choice voting in congressional races would improve voter enthusiasm and turnout nationwide while fundamentally changing how both constituents and candidates approach election-year decisions.
"If this reform were implemented throughout the country, it should result in a House of Representatives that actually looks and thinks like America," they wrote. "It would be a House that represents all views and all demographic characteristics in close proportion to their shares in the whole adult population of the United States."
Maine is on the verge of making history as it appears the state's new ranked choice voting system--in use this year for the first time--will be needed in order to determine the ultimate winner of a too-close-to-call race for the U.S. House.
As of Wednesday afternoon, incumbentRep. Bruce Poliquin (R-Maine) had exactly 46 percent of the vote while Democratic challenger Jared Golden held 45.9 percent. Eighty-one percent of voting precincts had reported their results. Two independents, Tiffany Bond and William Hoar, had captured 5.7 and 2.4 percent of the vote respectively.
\u201cMaine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap tells me if the numbers continue to be this close as final C2 precincts report, they will have to use Ranked Choice Voting to determine a winner. Would be first Congressional race ever decided with RCV.\u201d— Danielle Waugh DaRos (@Danielle Waugh DaRos) 1541610393
Under the state's ranked choice voting (RCV) system, which voters approved for state-wide elections by referendum in June, Mainers are able to rank congressional candidates in order of preference.
A candidate must capture at least 50 percent of the vote for a race to be called for him or her. With neither Poliquin nor Golden appearing to have gathered a decisive majority of votes, votes for Bond and Hoar will likely be distributed to those voters' second and third choices until either the Republican or Democrat has 50 percent.
The use of RCV to elect a national candidate will ensure for the first time that voters in the 2nd Congressional District are represented fairly, advocates say, as whoever wins the instant run-off election will have been at least the second or third choice of most voters.
\u201cNo matter the outcome, we know the winner will earn the broadest possible support of voters thanks to #RankedChoiceVoting #MEpol #FVelections\u201d— FairVote (@FairVote) 1541562649
On Twitter, the electoral reform group Fair Vote highlighted a number of other races around the country in which voters will now be represented by senators and House members who had the approval of less than half of their constituents--or will have to hold new elections in order to name a winner.
\u201cGeorgia gov. race tops many #ElectionNight watch lists. But we might not know the winner tonight or even tomorrow under 2-round runoff system, via @LedgerEnquirer. Georgia could consider #RankedChoiceVoting for majority rule in 1 election. #GApol #GAgov https://t.co/8dj7ouo19I\u201d— FairVote (@FairVote) 1541560204
\u201cIf only Mississippi had #RankedChoiceVoting, the cost and low turnout characteristic of runoffs could be avoided entirely. #MIpol #FVelections\u201d— FairVote (@FairVote) 1541563306
As Benjamin I. Page and Martin Gilens wrote in The American Prospect last week, ranked-choice voting in congressional and Senate races would improve voter enthusiasm and turnout and fundamentally change how Americans are represented by their elected officials.
As Benjamin I. Page and Martin Gilens wrote in The American Prospect last week, ranked-choice voting in congressional races would improve voter enthusiasm and turnout nationwide while fundamentally changing how both constituents and candidates approach election-year decisions.
"If this reform were implemented throughout the country, it should result in a House of Representatives that actually looks and thinks like America," they wrote. "It would be a House that represents all views and all demographic characteristics in close proportion to their shares in the whole adult population of the United States."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.