Maine Weighs Expanding Ranked-Choice Voting to Gubernatorial and State Legislative Races

The state's Supreme Judicial Court will hear arguments on whether the proposed changes are constitutional.

Mar. 9, 2026 at 7:11pm

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The Maine Supreme Judicial Court is set to hear arguments in April on a proposal to expand the state's ranked-choice voting system to this November's gubernatorial and state legislative races. The changes, if approved, would need to be quickly passed by the Democratic-controlled legislature before their mid-April adjournment target. Maine's attorney general has come out against the proposal, arguing it would cause "chaos" in the election, while supporters say it reflects the will of Maine voters who approved ranked-choice voting in a 2016 referendum.

Why it matters

The outcome of the court case could have significant implications for the balance of power in Augusta, as the expansion of ranked-choice voting could impact the results of key statewide and legislative races. The debate also highlights the ongoing tensions around voting systems and election integrity in the U.S.

The details

Maine first approved ranked-choice voting in a 2016 referendum, becoming the first state to do so. The system allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, with the candidate receiving a majority of votes after an instant runoff process declared the winner. While the system has been used in federal races and state primaries, it has remained limited to general elections for federal offices. A proposal before the legislature would expand it to gubernatorial and state legislative races, but the state's attorney general has argued the changes are unconstitutional.

  • The Maine Supreme Judicial Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments on the proposal on April 1, 2026.
  • To print ballots in time for the November 3, 2026 general election, the court needs to issue a final decision by August 25, 2026.

The players

Aaron Frey

The Democratic Attorney General of Maine, who has come out against the proposal to expand ranked-choice voting, arguing it would cause "chaos" in the election.

Mattie Daughtry

The Democratic Senate President, who supports expanding ranked-choice voting to gubernatorial and state legislative races.

Ryan Fecteau

The Democratic House Speaker, who supports expanding ranked-choice voting to gubernatorial and state legislative races.

Shenna Bellows

The Democratic Secretary of State, whose office has taken no official position on the proposed changes but says Maine has the necessary infrastructure to conduct a ranked-choice tabulation for any general election.

Dick Woodbury

A former independent state senator who led the effort to defend ranked-choice voting through a 2018 people's veto.

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What’s next

If the Maine Supreme Judicial Court indicates approval for the ranked-choice changes, lawmakers will have to move swiftly to pass a proposal to expand the system to this fall's gubernatorial and legislative races before the legislature's mid-April adjournment target.

The takeaway

The debate over expanding ranked-choice voting in Maine highlights the ongoing tensions around voting systems and election integrity in the U.S. The outcome of the court case could have significant implications for the balance of power in the state, as the changes could impact the results of key statewide and legislative races.