Maine's ranked choice voting rules and procedures, explained
Maine's use of ranked voting comes as Alaska and Massachusetts voters consider statewide votes to adopt the voting method. Ranked voting arrives on Maine’s presidential ballots in a year when three of the state’s four electoral votes could be up for grabs. ___HOW WE GOT HEREVoters in the state approved the adoption of ranked voting in a 2016 referendum drive. Opponents, including the Maine Republican Party, have said ranked choice voting is too confusing and violates the principle of one person, one vote. They sued unsuccessfully to try to stop the state from using ranked choice voting for president this year.
'Call them out': In Maine, Gideon asks voters to punish GOP
Sara Gideon, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, speaks at a "Supper with Sara" campaign event, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, in Dayton, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)CAMDEN, Maine – The last time Democrat Sara Gideon ran for office, she trounced her Republican challenger and spent a measly $4,299.99 doing it. Bean, to raise her family with her husband, Benjamin Rogoff Gideon, a Maine native who took her last name. Democratic support quickly coalesced around Gideon as Collins’ vote for Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh ensured her race would draw national attention and cash. But Barrett’s approval is all but assured even without Collins' vote.
Some states honoring indigenous people instead of Columbus
Sebastiano del Piombo via Wikimedia CommonsALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - A handful of states are celebrating their first Indigenous Peoples Day on Monday as part of a trend to move away from a day honoring Christopher Columbus. From Minnesota to Vermont, at least five states and Washington, D.C., have done away with Columbus Day celebrations in deference to Native Americans, though the federal Columbus Day remains in place. Since 1992, Native American advocates have pressed states to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day over concerns that Columbus helped launched centuries of genocide against indigenous populations in the Americas. Maine, home to four federally recognized tribes, ditched Columbus Day in favor of Indigenous Peoples Day with an April bill signing by Democratic Gov. But Native Americans in some states have welcomed the change and said it was time to pay homage to Native Americans instead of Columbus.