Maine is on the cusp of becoming the second state in the U.S. to employ ranked-choice voting (RCV) for gubernatorial elections, following a key committee approval that paves the way for a full legislative vote in the coming weeks. This voting system is already utilized in Maine and Alaska for congressional and presidential races, and various cities across the nation have adopted it for mayoral and other local elections. Alaska also uses a form of RCV for its gubernatorial elections.

Advocates of RCV argue it minimizes the impact of "spoiler" candidates, fostering collaboration, civility, and promoting more moderate political stances. In Maine, supporters have long championed the adoption of RCV for governor and state legislative races, an endeavor that necessitates an amendment to the state's constitution. The Maine Legislature's legal affairs committee recently greenlit a proposal to achieve this, with the next hurdle being a full legislative vote requiring a two-thirds majority. If successful, the amendment would then need ratification by a majority of Maine voters.

Senator Cameron Reny, the Democratic sponsor of the amendment, emphasized that this change would align with the will of Maine residents, who previously endorsed ranked-choice voting in 2016. Reny underscored the principle that leadership should be determined by a genuine majority, a concept he believes transcends partisan divides.

Under ranked-choice voting, voters prioritize candidates on their ballots. If no candidate secures a majority in the initial count, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed based on the second choices indicated on those ballots. This process continues until one candidate attains a majority.

This system notably propelled Democratic Rep. Jared Golden to victory in Maine's 2018 congressional race, where he secured his seat after second-choice votes were tallied. Golden's win is cited by some Republicans as a reason for their opposition to RCV. The proposal passed the Maine judiciary committee along party lines, highlighting the partisan divide on this issue. While Democrats hold a majority in both legislative chambers, achieving the two-thirds threshold necessary for a constitutional amendment will require bipartisan support.

Conservative organizations have voiced their intent to oppose any expansion of RCV in Maine. The Maine Policy Institute, a free-market advocacy group, testified against the expansion, characterizing it as a costly and ineffective trend. They argue that voting systems should prioritize simplicity and ensure equal weight for every vote, criteria they believe RCV fails to meet. Alaska's RCV system differs slightly from Maine's, beginning with a nonpartisan primary where the top four candidates advance to a general election employing ranked-choice voting. While Massachusetts voters rejected RCV in 2020, its use is growing in several U.S. cities, including Cambridge, San Francisco, and New York City.