Dozens and dozens of Maine citizens from across the state filled the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee room Friday to testify in support of LD 1624, "Resolution Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine To Implement Ranked-choice Voting," and in opposition to LD 1625, "An Act To Repeal the Ranked-choice Voting Law."
In fact, they had to open an overflow room to accommodate all of the Maine citizens who were there to testify in support of defending Maine's Ranked Choice Voting law. Perhaps most noteworthy: Not a single Maine citizen showed up Friday to testify against LD 1624 or in favor of LD 1625.
Only a few legislators testified for full repeal, and more legislators showed up to testify in favor of the constitutional amendment.
Also, another breaking development: Senator Mike Carpenter, who signed on as a co-sponsor of LD 1625 last Thursday, went to the mic Friday and walked back his support for full repeal at the beginning of the hearing.
Instead, he expressed his preference for finding a common sense solution that upholds the will of the people and brings the existing statute as approved by Maine voters into constitutional compliance.
There are, as previously covered, no constitutional questions about using Ranked Choice Voting in primary elections or in federal elections -- 7 out of 10 elections as approved by Maine voters.
You can read more about Friday's hearing here.
Photo Source: Maine Public