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# Major Opponent of Maine Ranked Choice Voting Tells Lawmakers to Reject Full Repeal
- URL: https://ivn.us/major-opponent-maine-ranked-choice-voting-tells-lawmakers-reject-full-repeal/
- Published: 2017-06-20T22:21:20.000Z
- Updated: 2026-06-22T19:58:20.000Z
- Author: Shawn Griffiths
- Tags: News

Maine State Senator **Michael Carpenter** [pinned an op-ed ](http://bangordailynews.com/2017/06/20/opinion/contributors/i-voted-against-ranked-choice-voting-but-i-dont-support-repealing-the-law/?ref=regionstate)for the Bangor Daily News Tuesday that calls on lawmakers not to repeal the voter-approved [**ranked choice voting**](https://ivn.us/tag/ranked-choice-voting) statute, but instead find compromise.

Carpenter, a former state attorney general, initially co-sponsored the bill that calls for full repeal, but after listening to voters in public hearings and "reviewing the facts," he had a change of heart.

"Lawmakers should not overrule the more than 388,000 Maine people from across the political spectrum who voted last November to enact ranked-choice voting, the second largest referendum vote in our state's history," Carpenter writes.

He added, "As I heard from some of the voters in public testimony, I realized they were rightfully astonished and offended by the prospect of full repeal. There is an opportunity for middle ground."

**ALSO READ: [Maine Voters Respond: Respect Our Vote, Don’t Repeal Ranked Choice Voting](https://ivn.us/2017/06/15/maine-lawmakers-decide-fate-ranked-choice-voting/)**

The middle ground? Move forward with ranked choice voting in federal and primary elections (70% of elections under ranked choice voting), where there is no state constitutional conflict. Then amend the constitution for the three state elections the [Maine Supreme Court](https://ivn.us/2017/05/23/breaking-maine-supreme-court-says-ranked-choice-voting-unconstitutional/) says ranked choice voting does not comply with the state constitution.

"I did not support Question 5 (RCV initiative), and I do not like ranked-choice voting as a policy today. But like U.S. Sen. Angus King, who [expressed his concern about a full repeal of the law](https://ivn.us/2017/06/07/sen-king-voters-decide-fate-maine-ranked-choice-voting/) in an interview with Maine Public last week, I do not wish to instigate any further distrust in the political process or in government as a whole," says Carpenter.

## **Read the full op-ed [here](http://bangordailynews.com/2017/06/20/opinion/contributors/i-voted-against-ranked-choice-voting-but-i-dont-support-repealing-the-law/?ref=regionstate).**

*Photo Source: Maine Public*