-More than 72,000 Mainers Signed Petitions to Repeal Ranked Choice Voting in Maine’s Presidential Elections
-Collected well beyond minimum required signatures when faced with nearly insurmountable odds
-Only had 64 days of signature gathering instead of what is normally a 90-day period, collecting more than 1,100 signatures per day
-Forbidden to knock on doors, no large gatherings due to pandemic, followed social distancing rules
-Experienced political minds calling achievement ‘unprecedented, historic, amazing’
-More than 315 ‘stop & sign’ events in a three week period
-More than 500 volunteers and circulators
-Signatures gathered from more than 450 cities, towns, townships and plantations across all 16 counties – this is nearly every community in the state
-With virtually every other political deadline in Maine extended, Repeal RCV campaign’s deadline was actually shortened by about a month – specifically targeted by Gov. Mills Executive Order on notaries denying campaign same benefits as others
AUGUSTA, ME– While facing nearly insurmountable odds and with forces aligning to thwart Maine GOP efforts to collect the necessary signatures to allow the people of Maine to have their voice heard, the Maine GOP today is announcing that the Repeal RCV campaign is submitting well beyond the required number of signatures to ensure repealing Ranked Choice Voting will be on the ballot in November.
“Collecting more than 72,000+ signatures in the midst of a pandemic and statewide lock-down that greatly reduced our capacity to collect signatures is a historic feat,” said Chair Dr. Demi Kouzounas. “Completing this task with only 64 days of signature gathering is a true testament to the dedication of our team and amazing volunteers and the amount of energy Mainers have to restore the principle of one person, one vote in our election process.”
The coronavirus pandemic, statewide lock-down, early adjournment of the Maine Legislature, and governmental red-tape created major delays in the collecting process, allowing only 64 days of collecting. Despite the odds stacked against them and numerous roadblocks, over 500 circulators across the political spectrum collected signatures from more than 450 Maine cities, towns, and plantations in all 16 Maine counties.
“Major roadblocks in the signature collection process required our team to completely re-invent the signature gathering process. Due to state restrictions, we were forbidden from knocking doors and unlike other people’s veto campaigns, there were no large gatherings,” said Jason Savage, Executive Director of the Maine GOP.
“While other political deadlines were extended to assist campaigns, our deadline was actually cut shorter by a month due to the early adjournment of their legislature. That meant we had to go into overdrive to make sure the voice of the voters was heard.”
In order to collect the required number of signatures while complying with CDC and State regulations, the Maine Republican Party held more than 315 “Stop and Sign” events in a 3 week period, essentially inventing a new signature gathering model and scaling it to unprecedented levels in just days.
With all the burdens and obstacles placed before the campaign, experienced political minds initially called the feat “unachievable”.
Now that the process is complete, many are calling the accomplishment, “unprecedented, historic, and amazing.”
“We are proud of our team for completing the signature collecting process and we are now focused on ensuring the People’s Veto is successful at the ballot box in November,” said Jason Savage.
“The People’s Veto has always been about restoring the sanctity of our election process, preserving the bedrock American principle of ‘one person, one vote’ and ensuring that Ranked Choice Voting does not interfere with Maine’s Presidential elections.”
BACKGROUND:
After Governor Mills allowed the extension of Ranked Choice Voting to the Presidential Election, the Maine Republican Party launched a “People’s Veto” to allow Mainers to have their voice heard and return our Presidential Election to the bedrock American principle of “one person, one vote”.
Maine voters should not be subject to a process that so clearly violates one person, one vote, serves as voter suppression, and puts Maine’s votes for President in question.
Our entire nation and the Presidential election should not be subject to a complicated and time-consuming process that could tear Maine apart at the seams.
The promises supporters of ranked-choice voting made – funded with massive amounts of out-of-state-money, have been proven false:
-RCV is NOT a more fair or equal process. It allows some voters to get multiple votes, while some only get one vote.
-RCV does NOT create majority winners. In fact some people’s ballots are “exhausted” and thrown out in the counting.
-RCV does NOT make elections more civil or cut down on negative politics.
-RCV does NOT increase participation. In fact, it serves as voter suppression.
-RCV is NOT simple. Maine’s experience shows a much higher rate of voter error and spoiled ballots.
-RCV costs our cities, towns and state more money than traditional elections.
-RCV has already been found unconstitutional in state general elections. Why should we use it anywhere?
By submitting the required number of signatures, the Maine Republican Party has halted the use of Ranked Choice Voting in the 2020 Presidential Election in Maine. The question will be decided on the November ballot.
