Maine May Trigger Ranked-Choice Runoffs in 2 Governor Primaries as Front-Runners Stay Below 50%
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 9
Maine May Trigger Ranked-Choice Runoffs in 2 Governor Primaries as Front-Runners Stay Below 50%
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 9
Summary
Maine’s Republican and Democratic gubernatorial primaries could both go to ranked-choice tabulation because no leading candidate is polling above the 50% needed for an outright first-round win.
Under Maine’s system, voters rank up to 5 candidates; if no one wins a majority of first-choice ballots, the last-place finisher is eliminated and those ballots are reassigned until someone clears 50%.
Bobby Charles leads the 7-candidate Republican field, but most polls put him near 40%, leaving him short of a decisive victory despite a clear edge.
The Democratic contest looks even more likely to require multiple rounds, with 5 candidates in double digits and a recent University of New Hampshire poll showing Troy Jackson and Nirav Shah essentially tied, with Shenna Bellows third.
Maine is one of only 2 states using ranked-choice voting in some statewide races; supporters say it broadens participation and discourages negative campaigning, while critics call it costly and confusing.