Maine's Gov. Paul LePage says he will allow a Bill that Delays Implementation of Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV) become Law without his Signature. “I encourage the people who want to have a people’s veto to bring it in. The Supreme Court has already said it is unconstitutional, so let the courts decide,” he says.
The Law, was deemed Partially Unconstitutional earlier this year by an Advisory Opinion of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. It's the part that sets the Rules for Running Elections in Maine.
Supporters of RCV have vowed to use the People’s Veto Provision of the Maine Constitution to force a Referendum Vote on Legislation approved by Lawmakers last month. Lawmakers delayed Implementation until 2021 to give them time to address Constitutional Problems raised by the Maine Supreme Court.
If the Law is not Amended by the Deadline, RCV would be Repealed. LePage told Maine Public Radio he believes that if State Courts don’t strike down the Law, Federal Courts Will. “If the state of Maine doesn’t kill it, I’m sure because it has the federal officials in it, the First Circuit will, the federal courts will say it is just clearly unconstitutional on many grounds,” he says.
By taking the full ten days he has to consider the Bill, LePage has now made it difficult for the Secretary of State’s Office to Finalize Petitions RCV Supporters need to Launch a People’s Veto. They were hoping to begin Circulating them on Election Day, Tuesday.
Maine Supporters of RCV need to collect 61,123 Valid Signatures.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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