The obvious solution to the progressive dilemma that Edgar Allen Beem refers to is to use a ranked choice (a.k.a. instant runoff) voting system for determining the next governor of Maine. This method was successfully used in the last mayoral election for Portland, and is a very simple process both to understand and to implement.

It would allow those who want, say, Mike Michaud first, but who would also be OK with Eliot Cutler, to vote accordingly, with no fear that their choice(s) would in any way help Gov. Paul LePage get into office again.

Fully 61 percent of voters did not vote for LePage last time, and probably if we’d had ranked choice voting, one of the other two candidates would now be governor. There is nothing partisan about this system of voting. It could just as easily be two right-leaning candidates that split their followers’ votes in the future, allowing the one left-of-center candidate to win with a small percentage of votes, as LePage did last time.

The point of instant runoff voting is to allow the largest number of people to get someone they regard as acceptable into office. It also allows everyone the pleasure of voting their heart.

Nancy O’Hagan
Portland 


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