Judge orders Maine to allow voters to rank candidate choices
AUGUSTA, Maine — A judge on Wednesday ordered Maine to allow voters to rank their candidate choices in its June primaries, even as she considers a request from the state Senate to block plans for the revamped voting method.
Superior Court Justice Michaela Murphy acknowledged the new system raises “significant constitutional issues” but said so-called ranked-choice voting should remain law.
Murphy ruled the secretary of state’s office must continue moving forward with implementing the voting method, which voters approved in a 2016 statewide referendum.
“To stop implementation now, 10 weeks prior to election day, could cause the irreparable harm of not being able to implement the will of the voters by the June 12, 2018 election day,” Murphy wrote.