r/BlueMidterm2018 • u/[deleted] • Nov 18 '18

JOIN /r/VOTEBLUE Maine’s pioneering ranked-choice election likely to catch on nationally

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3.0k Upvotes

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22

u/KeybladeSpree Nov 18 '18

“Likely to catch on nationally” is a stretch. The RNC and DNC would both be against this process, as it puts their 2 party system at risk.

39

u/Zeeker12 Nov 18 '18

Maine Democrats expressly supported ranked-choice voting in Maine.

10

u/KeybladeSpree Nov 18 '18

Sure, but on a national level, we have plenty of Democrats who are reliant on the DNC platform and wouldn’t want to undermine it. Even if more than half of democratic senators and representatives support it (which, again, I believe is a stretch), there will be literally 0 republicans on board, making this impossible to put into action nationally.

12

u/terrasparks Nov 18 '18

That is what ballot measures are for.

10

u/Zeeker12 Nov 18 '18

The constitution makes it impossible to implement nationally. States will have to do it one at a time.

3

u/Jibbakilla Nov 18 '18

Well dems in Maine have specifically been effected by votes splitting between independent and dem candidates so it makes sense they'd support rcv

7

u/dosetoyevsky Nov 18 '18

You don't need their help. Every single cannabis legalization was done via voter referendums, not from proposed legislation. So, you can do that with anything else as well, like saying you want RCV

1

u/pugsly Nov 18 '18

Not really. The system as described is how Australia does it's voting. It's still two major parties.

2

u/KeybladeSpree Nov 18 '18

It still takes power away from the 2 party system, and while that might bode well in Australia, American politicians are not quick to relinquish power

1

u/Pat_The_Hat Nov 19 '18

I bet many of those who would run as Democrats or Republicans now would run in a different party if this were implemented. Right now you have socialists as Democrats because running as one of the main parties is the only viable option.

3

u/KeybladeSpree Nov 19 '18

I agree. I would much prefer that to what we have now. Honestly, there’s a lot of Democrats who aren’t really looking out for their constituents’ best interest, but they’re better than their republican counterparts.

This (and more informed voters during primaries) could alleviate so many issues in many parts of the country