State Court Decision Stops Use Of RCV in 2020 Presidential Election and Allows Maine Voters to Reinstate One Person Equaling One Vote

AUGUSTA, ME – Maine Republican Party Chairman and Doctor Demi Kouzounas issued the following statement regarding the court’s decision to allow the Ranked Choice Voting Repeal back on the ballot:

“Late today the court affirmed what we always knew, that the Repeal Ranked Choice Voting campaign gathered enough signatures to place the people’s veto on the ballot.  We need to restore the principle of one person equals one vote,” said MEGOP Chair Dr. Demi Kouzounas.

“Over 70,000 Maine people signed petitions to have their voices heard to stop ranked choice voting. For months teams of volunteers worked tirelessly to collect these signatures against great odds – including the City of Portland’s efforts to stop signature gathering and a global pandemic – just to have the Secretary of State improperly reject the signatures of thousands of Maine voters. Now, after our team has spent weeks working around the clock to ensure these signatures would be counted, the court has finally confirmed that we have the required signatures to be on the ballot in November.”

“While we find it unacceptable that Secretary of State Matt Dunlap failed to protect the people’s constitutional rights, we have always been confident that we would ultimately prevail.  Today the court vindicated that confidence, and the Constitution in reversing Secretary of State Dunlap’s incorrect decision. This is a massive win not only for the effort to Repeal Ranked Choice Voting, but also for the people of Maine.”

“The fight to Repeal Ranked Choice Voting marches on, and we remain laser-focused on winning in November,” said Doctor Kouzounas.

“Thank you to the hundreds of volunteers and thousands of voters who participated in this effort,” said Maine GOP Executive Director Jason Savage.

“We said we would not stop fighting until the Secretary of State’s incorrect decision was overturned. Now we are on to November and to Repeal RCV and restore the principle of one person, one vote,” said Mr. Savage.