Joint Order, Propounding A Question To The Supreme Judicial Court Regarding The Use Of Ranked-Choice Voting In Elections Requiring A Plurality Of Votes

This joint order asks the Maine Supreme Judicial Court to issue an advisory opinion on whether ranked-choice voting complies with the state constitution's requirement that certain officials be elected by a plurality of votes. The request is prompted by recent legislation, L.D. 1666, which seeks to restore ranked-choice voting for general elections for Governor, State Senator, and State Representative after voters previously removed these offices from the system via a veto. The Legislature seeks clarification before the 2026 election cycle begins to prevent potential legal challenges that could delay the seating of elected officials or create confusion on ballots containing two different voting methods. If the Court finds the current method unconstitutional, the Legislature may need to propose constitutional amendments for voter approval.