Maine Senate President Stabs Voters in the Back

by Ned White in Electoral Reform May 31, 2017

Maine Senate President Thibodeau (R-Waldo County) DENIES consideration of Rep. Ackley’s RCV bill.

Wow. Michael Thibodeau, Republican senator from Waldo County and president of the Senate, just gave Rep. Kent Ackley and Maine voters a major league shaft. He denied permission to circulate a ballot among the Legislative Council for Ackley’s bill to make ranked choice voting (RCV) constitutional.

Ackley’s RCV bill would pave the way for ranked choice voting — as approved by 53% of Maine voters last November — to be used in primary and federal elections, but not for statewide general elections, which the Supreme Court said are constitutionally out of bounds.

Michael Thibodeau, president of the Senate, just gave Rep. Kent Ackley and Maine voters a major league shaft.

Ackley’s bill simply upholds what the voters wanted – outside of statewide general elections.

Just a few days ago, Legislative Council unanimously approved two opposing RCV bills to go to the legislature for discussion and votes.

I have phone calls in to both Senate Democrats and Sen Thibodeau’s office and am awaiting further details.

Editor’s note: This article originally published on Ned White’s blog, “Journeys over a Hot Stove,” part of the BDN Network. It has been modified slightly for publication on IVN and was republished with permission from the author.