Maine state legislator Andrews joins Libertarians

Oxford County representative leaves GOP, is 1st Libertarian to serve in Maine Legislature | Bangor Daily News - Caitlin Andrews:

December 14, 2020 - "A representative from Oxford County left the Republican Party on Monday to become only one of two Libertarian state legislators in the country after expressing dissatisfaction with his former party’s leadership in the chamber. 

"While the departure of Rep. John Andrews of Paris is unlikely to change the State House calculus — he is an arch-conservative member — it is a boon to Libertarians as the third party makes yet another attempt to organize here after fits and starts in recent years.... It first tried to gain recognition in 2015 and won official status in 2016. But it then lost it in 2018 after not having enough registered voters. Secretary of State Matt Dunlap certified the party to begin pursuing party status on Friday, meaning interested residents — including Andrews — can register.

"Andrews, a second-term lawmaker who represents his hometown plus Hebron and Buckfield, confirmed he unenrolled Monday after he learned he would not be returning to the committee overseeing voting, gambling and liquor laws, which he served on during his first term. Andrews said the placement 'just didn’t make sense' and that he had enjoyed the work. He is set to instead serve on the innovation and economic development committee. In a Saturday post on Facebook, he targeted House Minority Leader Kathleen Dillingham, R-Oxford, over his placement, saying it was 'obviously punishment for something' and said she was unfit to lead. 

"'It’s a new day and a new party, and I’m just hoping to get some good work done,' Andrews said.

"His decision erodes the Republican minority to 66 seats after a largely unexpected strong showing for the party in the 2020 election. There are four independents in the chamber plus Passamaquoddy Tribal representative Rena Newell, who can vote only in committees.... There have only been two third-party legislators in Maine history, both from the Green Party.... 

"The Libertarian Party in Maine has sued Dunlap’s office over the state’s process of delisting parties, parts of which a federal judge have deemed unconstitutional. A trial in that case is set for early next year."

"Andrews will be the first Libertarian to serve in the Maine Legislature and is one of only two in the entire country. The other is Marshall Burt of Wyoming, who beat a sitting Democrat in the 2020 election and is one of only five Libertarians state legislators ever elected. Outgoing U.S. Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan, a former Republican, joined the party in April to become the first Libertarian member of Congress."

Read more: https://bangordailynews.com/2020/12/14/politics/oxford-county-lawmaker-leaves-gop-becomes-1st-libertarian-to-serve-in-augusta/

Libertarian ticket makes ballot in Maine

Libertarian presidential candidate qualifies for Maine ballot, ending lawsuit against state | Bangor Daily News - Michael Shepherd:

August 11, 2020 - "Libertarian presidential candidate Jo Jorgensen qualified for the Maine ballot on Tuesday, bringing an end to the third party’s lawsuit over state rules and putting the fifth and final party hopeful on the November slate here. The party promoting civil liberties and small government was recognized in Maine between June 2016 and December 2018, but it then failed to reach a voter threshold to be recognized as a party. Jorgensen was therefore required to collect 4,000 signatures of registered voters to get on the ballot, the state’s threshold for non-party candidates.

"Jorgensen’s campaign sued the state in late July over the threshold, asking a U.S. District Court judge to halve the requirement, which it said was too onerous amid the coronavirus pandemic. But the office of Secretary of State Matt Dunlap determined the campaign had enough signatures to qualify, Assistant Attorney General Phyllis Gardiner said in a Tuesday filing. That led the parties to agree to dismiss the suit. 

"Jorgensen will be on the Maine ballot in November alongside President Donald Trump, a Republican, former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, and Green nominee Howie Hawkins and Rocky de la Fuente of the Alliance Party. The latter candidate had to meet the same threshold as Jorgensen.

"The Maine race will be under the microscope as Trump looks to repeat his 2016 win in the 2nd Congressional District with Biden leading recent public polls statewide. The third-party candidates could have an outsized importance with the state planning to use ranked-choice voting for the first time in the history of presidential elections."

Read more: https://bangordailynews.com/2020/08/11/politics/libertarian-presidential-candidate-qualifies-for-maine-ballot-ending-lawsuit-against-state/

Maine's party membership law unconstitutional, federal judge rules

Federal judge calls Maine unenrollment law unconstitutional in Libertarian lawsuit | Bangor Daily News - Caitlin Andrews:

June 11, 2020 - "The state’s process for keeping political party members enrolled is unconstitutional, a federal judge in Bangor ruled Thursday. But he declined to immediately re-enroll more than 6,000 previous members of Maine’s Libertarian party.... The party’s numbers are not immediately restored, but U.S. District Court Judge Lance Walker found the plaintiffs would be likely to succeed if they continued the case on its constitutional merits.

"The Libertarians sued Secretary of State Matt Dunlap late last year, arguing the state’s enrollment thresholds were impossible to maintain for small parties. State law requires new parties to enroll at least 5,000 members the year before a general election and to have at least 10,000 by the next general election.... Party members are unenrolled if that enrollment threshold isn’t met.

"The Libertarians argued the requirements ... 'severely burden the constitutional rights' of voters and prevent new political parties from gaining a foothold in the state, pointing to the financial and time commitment needed to enroll members. Walker agreed that the un-enrollment process was unconstitutional, writing that it 'penalizes minor parties' by repeatedly setting them back 'when they are just getting going.' But he denied the party’s request to immediately re-enroll the more than 6,000 previous Libertarians....

"Walker factored the timing of the suit into his decision. By waiting almost a year to challenge their most recent loss of status, he said previously enrolled members may have since enrolled in other parties, or may prefer their unenrolled status. Further, the Libertarian party has not proved that those previous members wish to be enrolled. Automatically re-enrolling them 'would completely disrupt the state’s orderly process of election administration and would be manifestly unfair to other candidates – both those enrolled in other parties and unenrolled ‒ who are competing for those same elective offices and remain obligated to comply with all applicable statutory requirements,' Walker wrote."

Read more: https://bangordailynews.com/2020/06/11/politics/federal-judge-calls-maine-unenrollment-law-unconstitutional-in-libertarian-lawsuit/

Amash unanimous 1st choice in Maine LP primary

by George J. Dance

Only 9 people voted in the Libertarian Party of Maine's presidential preference primary. But those 9 voters have completely upended the Libertarian Party (LP) nomination race, and perhaps the U.S. presidential race itself.

The COVID-19 pandemic, and the government responses, have caused tremendous damage – and the LP has not been immune, with primaries and state conventions being cancelled or postponed right and left. The LP of Maine, too, postponed its April convention: at this time they hope to run a full convention in July. But July would be too late to elect state delegates to the national convention, still scheduled for May 22 (although that date may change).

So in April  the state party also held a special convention on Zoom, with a limited agenda focussing on selecting the  national delegates.

Following the election of the 8 delegates (and 3 alternates), the Maine LP held its presidential preference primary. A party spokesman explained to me via Facebook that they tried to give the voters maximum choice: "The ballot was a very inclusive one. Every candidate listed on the national party's presidential candidate page was included along with all candidates on Wikipedia's page on the race for the LP nomination. This included the candidates who had withdrawn months ago, and prospective candidates." Only 2 candidates – one who publicly quit the LP, and one who is seeking another party's nomination – were excluded.

That made Maine's the first primary ballot to include Michigan Congressman Justin Amash. Amash, the only member of Congress to identify as a libertarian, had long been touted as a presidential candidate, and had always left the possibility open. In February, he paused his re-election campaign to seriously consider an LP presidential run; and was still doing so in April.

While Amash was playing Hamlet, libertarian thinktank founder Jacob Hornberger was building an impressive narrative of wins in the LP race. By the Maine convention he was the clear frontrunner, having won 7 of the previous 10 primaries and caucuses.  By April, given the limited opportunities to campaign, it was doubtful that any other declared candidate could beat Hornberger. But could Amash? The Maine primary, the first time both Hornberger and Amash had appeared on a ballot together, would be the first test.

The Maine LP used an Instant Runoff Voting (IRV)-style ballot: voters were asked to vote for 5 candidates (corresponding to 5 rounds of voting at a convention), and rank them from 1st to 5th choice (to correspond with each round). A voter with less than 5 preferences could either vote None of the Above, or leave the line(s) blank (not vote), for the remainder. There was also an option to write in names not printed on the ballot. Nine LP members voted for 5 choices each, making 45 possible votes.     

The Maine LP released the vote result on April 23. Of the  37 votes cast, NOTA received the most (11), simply because  anyone could vote for NOTA more than once. However, applying the method of IRV – where voting proceeds only until one candidate gets a majority – yields a different  winner. For the result of the first-choice count (corresponding to a first round of voting) was:

• Justin Amash - 9
• Jacob Hornberger - 0
• Everyone else - 0

As the Maine LP announced on its webpage: "A candidate who has yet to even declare his candidacy, Justin Amash. was the first choice of all those who responded." (The Party has since expanded the poll to include all Maine LP sustaining members, which is presumably why the result has not been posted on Wikipedia).

Within the week, Amash entered the presidential race, launching an exploratory committee on April 28. On April 29, Hornberger wrote on his blog: "Today, this is a brand new race for the LP presidential nomination, one in which – I make no bones about it – Amash is now the clear favorite."

Once again, it was just 9 votes. The 2020 race for the LP nomination has not turned into a coronation of Amash. But it is now no longer a coronation of Hornberger, either. For the first time, it has become a real contest worth paying close attention to. 

Maine Libertarians trying online convention

Apr 05, 2020 - "The Libertarian Party of Maine will hold an online convention Saturday, April 18, at 11 a.m. EDT [to] ... elect its eight delegates to the national convention ... scheduled for May 21-25 in Austin, Texas....

"Speeches and other announcements will be saved for a later, in-person gathering.... This convention is solely to elect national delegates.

"To run for one of the eight delegate positions, a candidate must be registered to vote in Maine and a dues-paying member of the Libertarian Party of Maine or of the national Libertarian Party.

"To cast vote for delegates, the same criteria apply. Only 50 slots are available for the online meeting, so those wishing to vote must reserve a spot by 6 p.m. Friday, April 17, by contacting the organizers at chair@lpme.org. Once party membership is confirmed, applicants will receive a link to the online convention.

"A special in-person convention is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, June 6, at a site to be determined; it might be held outside.... For more information, email chair@lpme.org or visit lpme.org.

"The Libertarian Party of Maine has its headquarters at 235 Camden St. in Rockland."

https://waldo.villagesoup.com/p/libertarians-to-hold-online-convention-april-18/1856610

Maine LP sues over membership disenrollment

Libertarians sue Maine, saying enrollment thresholds 'suppress competition' | WGME - Caitlin Andrews, Bangor Daily News:

November 7, 2019 - "The Libertarian Party of Maine is suing Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap in federal court over political party enrollment thresholds it says are impossible for new parties to maintain. State law requires new parties to enroll at least 5,000 members the year before a general election and to have at least 10,000 by the next general election.... Party members are unenrolled if that enrollment threshold isn’t met.

"The requirements are so burdensome that they 'severely burden the constitutional rights' of voters and prevent new political parties from gaining a foothold in the state, the Libertarians claim in a complaint filed Nov. 1....

'You can’t simply throw out one’s choice to belong to a political party,' said Jim Baines of Hampden, the Maine party chair and one of the plaintiffs, in a Wednesday press release. He went onto say the laws 'suppress competition' and prevent 'thousands of independent thinkers in Maine from considering a viable political option.'

"The party is asking the federal court to prevent Dunlap, a Democrat, from enforcing the state laws, allowing Libertarians to compete in state elections until the Legislature changes the law, according to the complaint....

"The state currently recognizes three political parties: Democrats, who have 347,281 voters Republicans, who have 287,045 voters and the Green Party, who have 43,507 voters, according to May registration data....

"The Libertarian Party ... gained official status in June of 2016 with 5,150 votes. The party lost its status by December 2018, when the party only had 6,168 voters. It has until Jan. 2 to get 5,000 enrollees, according to a Secretary of State press release.

"That deadline is too early for new parties to realistically meet, the Libertarian Party says, pointing to the financial and time commitment needed to enroll party members. Dunlap’s office declined comment on the lawsuit.

Rep. Justin Fecteau, R-Augusta, proposed a bill this year that would have cut the required enrollment numbers in half and put in place a 90-day warning period for party members if enrollment fell beneath that threshold before members were unenrolled, but the measure failed to pass the panel of legislative leaders that is able to approve bills for consideration in 2020."

Read more: https://wgme.com/news/local/libertarians-sue-maine-saying-enrollment-thresholds-suppress-competition
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Maine legislature passes Death with Dignity Act

Maine legislature sends bill effectively legalizing assisted suicide to governor - CNNPolitics - Devan Cole:

June 5, 2019 - "The Maine state legislature has sent a bill that would effectively legalize medical aid in dying for patients suffering from terminally-ill diseases to the state's Democratic governor. The legislation, called the 'Maine Death with Dignity Act,' would allow mentally-competent patients over the age of 18 "to make a request for medication prescribed for the purpose of ending the person's life'....

"[A] spokeswoman for Gov. Janet Mills, said Wednesday the governor has not yet taken a position on the bill. She has 10 days to either sign or veto, and if she takes no action, the bill would become law after that time.

"The bill passed Maine's Democratic-controlled House on Monday by a vote of 73-72 and its Democratic-controlled Senate on Tuesday by a vote of 19-16. It states that it does not legalize medically-assisted suicide, though if enacted, it would effectively do so.

"The bill requires the patient to make two oral requests and a written request for the medication, with the written request being made at least 15 days after the initial oral request. The patient would also need to wait at least two days after they make their written request to receive the prescription and they would need [to] receive a second opinion by a consulting physician.

"The proposal defines "terminal disease" as 'an incurable and irreversible disease that has been medically confirmed and will, within reasonable medical judgment, produce death within 6 months.' Patients who doctors determine are 'suffering from a psychiatric or psychological disorder or depression causing impaired judgment' would be prohibited from receiving life-ending medication....

"The bill would also make it a crime to 'knowingly coerce or exert undue influence' on a patient to receive the medication and criminalize the act of forging request documents for the medication.

"If Mills signs the bill, Maine would join seven other states and the District of Columbia that have medical aid in dying statues, according to the Death with Dignity National Center."

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/05/politics/maine-medical-suicide-death-with-dignity-bill/index.html
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Maine Libertarians regain party status for 2019

Libertarians are alive and kicking - The Ellsworth American (letter) - Chris Lyons, Jim Baines, & Jesse McNally, Libertarian Party of Maine:

January 4, 2019 - "While the state of Maine disqualified the Libertarian Party as an officially recognized party in late November, that was a temporary status. The party regained recognized status on Dec. 11, after party members filed the necessary paperwork.

"The state requires 10,000 voting registrants to maintain permanent status, or the party has to file a 'Declaration of Intent to Form a Party by Party Enrollment.' Only 10 registered voters are required by the state to sign the form, which was submitted on Dec. 3 (the first day of eligibility), and approved by the state on Dec. 11. The state now requires the Libertarians to reach 5,000 registrants by Jan. 2, 2020, and 10,000 registered Libertarians must vote on Election Day 2020 to maintain official status.

"'The drive for permanent recognition now begins,' says Vice Chairman Jim Baines of Hampden. 'We have new and growing leadership that was just voted in this year, and we’re stepping up a campaign to let Mainers know we’re here, we’re organized, and we care about everything they care about — freedom to make your own decisions, both financial and personal. We’re also tired of seeing wasteful government spending, and neither old party cares to do anything about that.'

"The Libertarian Party also is looking to the courts to reinstate the roughly 6,000 existing registered Libertarians, whom the state unenrolled last month. Just the same, anyone can register as a Libertarian, provided they do so on new registration cards that will come out in the next month. The Libertarians will be printing up their own cards."

Read more: https://www.ellsworthamerican.com/opinions/letters-to-the-editor/libertarians-are-alive-and-kicking/
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Maine Libertarians lost party status in midterms

Maine Libertarians lose party status - The Ellsworth American - Cyndi Wood:

December 18, 2018 - "The state’s Libertarian Party has lost its party status, the Maine Secretary of State’s Office announced Monday....

"To retain party status, qualified political parties must have at least 10,000 registered voters who are enrolled in the party cast ballots in the general election, among other provisions in Maine law. As of the Nov. 6 general election, only 6,168 voters were enrolled as Libertarians.

"All voters who were registered as Libertarians are now listed as 'unenrolled' in a party, as of Dec. 4. The Libertarian Party was originally qualified in July of 2016.

"The Libertarian Party has filed a renewed declaration of intent to form a party and must collect at least 5,000 enrollees by Jan. 2, 2020. A voter may enroll in the Libertarian Party by completing a new Maine Voter Registration Application. The voter must check the box next to 'other qualifying party' and write in 'Libertarian' or 'Libertarian Party.'

"Once a voter has enrolled in the Libertarian Party, the voter must remain in the party for three months before he or she can file an application for either a withdrawal or change in enrollment.

"Only three political parties are [now] officially recognized in the State of Maine: Democratic, Green Independent and Republican.... Qualified parties can certify their presidential and vice presidential candidates’ names for the November 2020 General Election ballot and can nominate candidates in the primary elections."

Read more: https://www.ellsworthamerican.com/maine-news/political-news/maine-libertarians-lose-party-status/
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Ranked voting survives legal challenge in Maine

Federal Judge Upholds Maine's Ranked-Choice Voting - Hit & Run : Reason.com - Scott Shackford:

December 13, 2018 - "In the November midterms, incumbent Republican Rep. Bruce Poliquin won the first round of votes against Democratic challenger Jared Golden. But he did not get more than 50 percent of the votes.... Under Maine's new election rules, put into place by the voters, a candidate for Congress must get a majority of the votes....

"Maine voters are asked to rank the candidates in order of preference. If no candidate gets a majority vote, the candidate who received the least votes is eliminated [and] for those who voted for the eliminated candidate, their second choice is counted.... In Maine, ... that pushed Golden ahead to narrowly win with 50.6 percent of the vote. Poliquin sued to try to stop the vote count, challenging the constitutionality of ranked-choice voting.

"U.S. District Court Judge Lance Walker, appointed by President Donald Trump, roundly rejected Poliquin's suit.... Poliquin ... had argued that Article 1, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution calls for plurality voting. But it does not.....

"Walker also rejected an argument ... that the system violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.... The plaintiffs only voted for Poliquin and declined to rank the other candidates, which ... [t]hey argued ... meant that their votes had less 'weight'.... This made little sense and the judge rejected it. They chose not to rank the other candidates, but the option was presented. And during each round, each person's vote counted only once....

"So it looks like Maine's ranked-choice voting system is here to stay..... Maine voters actually wanted to use it for ... statewide races and state lawmaker races too. But ... to comply with the voter-approved ballot initiative, lawmakers need to amend the state's Constitution. Right now state Republicans have been resistant. We'll see if this ruling gets them to accept the public's will."

Read more: https://reason.com/blog/2018/12/13/federal-judge-upholds-maines-ranked-choi
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40 Maine towns have declared food sovereignty

One year after becoming law, food sovereignty in Maine has taken hold — Homestead — Bangor Daily News — BDN Maine - Julia Beilly:

November 27, 2018 - "Since becoming law a year ago, the number of Maine towns and small communities with a food sovereignty ordinance has grown to more than 40.... The legislation, ... signed into law last October, allows municipalities to regulate local food systems, including production, processing, consumption and direct producer-to-consumer exchanges. This type of commerce had been regulated at the state and federal level, which continues to regulate meat and poultry production and sales.

"No official data are being collected on the towns adopting the ordinance, but last week Augusta became the latest municipality in the state to pass an ordinance based on the sovereignty law, joining the dozens of municipalities including Auburn, Machias, Blue Hill, Rockland, Chapman and York.

"Sen. Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, ... along with Rep. Craig Hickman, D-Winthrop, co-sponsored the food sovereignty legislation signed into law....

"In Greenwood, population 800, the ordinance is acting as a sort of small business incubator, according to Suzanne Dunham of Dunham Farms and Velvet Hollow Sugar Works in Greenwood. She and her husband Brian also manage the Greenwood Farmers Market.... Before passage of the food sovereignty ordinance made the licensing moot, the Dunhams were fully licensed by the state [but] 'others in our community didn’t have the economic means to go through licensing,' she said.  Now, thanks to the ordinance the town passed last June, that obstacle has been removed.

"'Greenwood’s food sovereignty ordinance allows me to make pies and other baked goods in my home kitchen and sell them directly to customers without having to be licensed by the state,' Greenwood resident Amy Chapman, who runs Amy’s Bakehouse out of her home, said. 'Since I have several other part-time jobs and baking is only a small part of what I do, it would not be worth my time, money and energy to do it for a weekly farmers market if I had to go through the state’s process to become a licensed producer'....

"That is exactly what Jackson envisioned for the law. 'A lot of people can’t take the chance on doing something they wanted to do because they found it too onerous or costly to become licensed under state or federal regulations,' Jackson said. “I think people who have a product will now take more of a chance and actually do something to create a small business'....

"Neighbors selling to neighbors has been going on for generations in Maine, but for all that time growers and producers not licensed by the state were forced to conduct business out of the public eye and only with trusted, known customers."

Read more: http://www.bangordailynews.com/2018/11/26/homestead/one-year-after-becoming-law-food-sovereignty-in-maine-has-taken-hold/
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Third libertarian Republican elected to U.S. House

Libertarian Republicans excelled in the midterm elections - Jack Hunter, Washington Examiner:

November 7, 2018 - "On Tuesday night, Democrats took the House and Republicans kept the Senate. Expect to hear opinions and analysis of what this might mean for President Trump and the 2020 election in the weeks and months to come. But how did the small but enduring libertarian faction within the Republican Party do?...

"The most high-profile libertarian Republican in Congress, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, was not up for re-election. The next-most high-profile libertarian Republicans in Congress, Reps. Justin Amash of Michigan and Thomas Massie of Kentucky, both won re-election by double-digits.

"Amash, who represents a purple district, has been openly critical of Trump, and his independent streak appeared to pay off for him Tuesday. Massie represents a deep-red district, hasn’t hesitated to criticize the president, yet simultaneously has been more sympathetic. Massie predictably defeated his Democratic opponent in a blowout.

"Republican novice Denver Riggleman won his race for Virginia’s 5th Congressional District. 'Riggleman, a newcomer to politics, ran a positive campaign based on libertarian ideas,' reported National Review's Jibran Khan. But Khan also noted what the libertarian-leaning Riggleman was not: 'His victory, which came on the heels of Corey Stewart’s failed run for the Senate, should be a message for the Virginia GOP'....

"The soundly defeated Corey Stewart represented not only some of the worst aspects of today’s Right in his racist appeal, however intentional or unintentional those appeals were, but his competitive GOP primary opponent Virginia House member Nick Freitas was a libertarian Republican....  Even if he wouldn’t have beaten Democrat Tim Kaine, it is easy to see the libertarian Freitas having significantly more appeal to a larger swath of voters than Stewart. Hopefully this is a lesson Virginia Republicans remember.

"A similar message was sent in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, where Republican Katie Arrington was defeated by Democrat Joe Cunningham. Arrington defeated incumbent Rep. Mark Sanford in the Republican primary by touting her pro-Trump credentials.... [A] Democrat hadn’t won [there] in 40 years.... Arrington’s defeat shows that there are limits to merely hanging your hat on Trump, even in red South Carolina. It goes without saying that the libertarian Sanford would have had far more appeal.

"Another libertarian victory of sorts actually came from the Democratic side, where Colorado’s Jared Polis became the first openly gay governor. Polis is the sole Democratic member of the House Liberty Caucus founded by Justin Amash.... This is not to say that the new Democratic governor will always act along liberty lines, but the one Democrat arguably most sympathetic to libertarian ideas and issues got a big win Tuesday.

"The biggest losses for libertarian Republicans were the defeat of Rep. Dave Brat in Virginia’s 7th District, and Eric Brakey, with a failed Senate challenge to Maine’s incumbent Angus King, an independent who overwhelming votes with Democrats. Brat, also a member of the House Liberty Caucus, made waves when he defeated House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in 2014 — and his loss Tuesday was razor-thin. Brakey, a popular two-term Maine state senator, is only 30 years old, a thorough libertarian Republican in the mold of Rand Paul, and hopefully this won’t be the last we hear from him.

"Overall, Tuesday showed ... that libertarian Republicanism not only endures, but prevails, and could be the brand best positioned for future GOP victories."

Read more: https://gdspoliticalanimal.blogspot.com/2018/11/third-libertarian-republican-elected-to.html
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Maine adopts ranked-choice voting for midterms

Maine Voters Prepare to Rank Their Congressional Candidates to Choose Winners - Hit & Run : Reason.com - Scott Shackford:

October 23, 2018 - "In just a couple of weeks we're all going to see an election experiment that could perhaps change the way votes are counted.... November's election will be Maine's first use of ranked-choice voting to determine the winners of three elections — for one U.S. senator and two U.S. House seats. And with the way polls for at least one race are going, independent-minded voters are going to affect the outcome in a manner that can actually be tracked.

"In ranked-choice voting, people are asked not to just select one candidate for office, but to rank the candidates by order of preference. If there are four candidates, for example, you can choose the candidate you prefer the most and also rank the others second, third, and fourth....

"[F]or a candidate to win, he or she must have a majority of the votes, not just a plurality. If no candidate wins a majority of the vote, the candidate with the least number of votes is eliminated from the race.... The ballots are tallied again, and for those who voted for the eliminated [candidate], their second choice is counted instead. And so it goes, until one candidate has a majority....

"The point of ranked-choice voting is to try to enfranchise voters by making it possible to vote for third-party or independent candidates without actually 'throwing their vote away.' Proponents of ranked-choice voting see it as a tool of making candidates reach out to a larger pool of voters rather than just playing to their voting bases.... Ranked-choice voting doesn't necessarily make it easier for third-party candidates to win, but it makes their voices and their voters harder to ignore.

"Several cities in the United States have ranked-choice voting for local races... Maine, as a result of a couple of state ballot initiatives, will be implementing it for the first time....

"Now attention is focused on Maine's 2nd Congressional District, where incumbent Republican Rep. Bruce Poliquin is fending off a challenge from Democrat Jared Golden, and two independents [with] almost no chance of winning, getting less than 10 percent of the vote between the two of them in most polls. But the polls also show pretty much a dead heat between Poliquin and Golden.... Therefore, what's going to determine the outcome of this race may very well be who voters for the two independents selected as their second choice — or even their third.....

"[I]ndependent voters will determine the outcome of the race in a way that doesn't make them 'spoilers'.... They can vote for their favorite and then select the Democrat or the Republican as their second choice. Or they may not. Voters aren't required to rank their choices. It's an option....

"Partisans often whine that third-party voters end up helping their opponents. On a fundamental level, this is political entitlement nonsense that improperly treats voters like they belong to the political parties instead of the other way around. But it's also often not entirely true. Polling often shows third-party voters split between the main parties. In this election, we'll get to be able to track where independent votes actually go."

Read more: https://reason.com/blog/2018/10/23/maine-voters-prepare-to-rank-their-congr
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Maine county commissioner joins Libertarians

Maine county commissioner switches to LP | Libertarian Party - Bob Johnston:

September 8, 2017 - "Zakk Maher, a county commissioner for Androscoggin County, Maine, switched to the Libertarian Party on Sept. 7. Maher was elected to the seat last November as a Republican, defeating the challenger with 63 percent of the vote. The term of the seat lasts until the end of 2020.

"Maher is the second county commissioner to switch to the Libertarian Party in the past year. Jim Byrne of the Kankakee County Board in Illinois came over to the LP last Dec. 7....

"The Libertarian Party now has 159 elected officials."
Read more: https://www.lp.org/maine-county-commissioner-switches-lp/

The Productive Path Forward | Zakk Maher, Androscoggin County Commissioner:

September 7, 2017 - "In an effort to reaffirm my own principles, as well as my passion for community service, I am enrolling in the Libertarian Party of Maine. I believe that each of us as a 'living creature, the creating individual,' as Bruce Lee once mused, 'is always more important than any established style or system.' As a Libertarian, I feel confident that when I say we believe in you, there are no ifs, ands or buts. And by freeing ourselves from the current political dichotomy I am positive the path forward for the County, the State and the Nation will be less turbulent, allowing our interpersonal relationships within our own community to bear much more fruit.

"I have caucused within the Republican party since 2004, supporting principled candidates that shared my vision of reducing the budgetary girth of the federal government in favor of more just and accountable controls at the State and County level. I also pushed for a pivot in philosophy, supporting a platform that respects the sovereignty of the individual in all matters of life, love and morality, as these are serious topics much too personal to be taken out of the hands of families directly impacted.

"These closely held ideals are what initially drew me to the party.... Yet, as the proclivities of the Republican Party drift further from my core belief of being fiscally conservative and legislatively unobtrusive, I feel it is only fair to myself and those I represent to formally follow my heart out of the party that had left me in spirit amid this past election cycle.... Still, this is not an action I take lightly, or without reservation.

"By taking the path less traveled I seek not to be followed, but rather inspire others to reassess their politics and focus on their own journey towards a peaceful and prosperous future."
Read more: http://www.zakkmaher.com/the-productive-path-forward
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Cannabis foes concede in Maine; recount halted

Recount bid ends, clearing way for legal marijuana in Maine — Politics — Bangor Daily News — BDN Maine:

December 20, 2016 - "The campaign that opposed a referendum seeking to legalize marijuana for recreational use in Maine abandoned its recount effort Saturday afternoon, clearing the way for Maine to become the latest state to allow use of the drug for nonmedical purposes.

"The citizen-initiated legalization effort appeared as Question 1 on the Nov. 8 ballot. Unofficial results showed the question winning by less than 1 percentage point, the closest contest on a ballot that included four other citizen-initiated referendums and a bond question.

"That narrow margin prompted opponents of legalization — organized as Mainers Protecting Our Youth and Communities — to ask the secretary of state to conduct a statewide recount.

"After a weekslong process that required ballots from all over the state to be collected and delivered to Augusta, the recount began earlier this month.

"The recount recessed Friday with plans to resume in January 2017.... However, Mainers Protecting Our Youth and Communities formally requested Saturday that the secretary of state’s office end the process....

"Preliminary estimates from Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap pegged the cost of a statewide ballot question recount at approximately $500,000. However, the No on 1 campaign in its release Saturday suggested the estimated cost of the recount was much lower, roughly $15,000, with little or no overtime costs incurred by state police or the secretary of state’s office.....

"The next step in the legalization process is for Gov. Paul LePage to send a proclamation to Dunlap affirming the validity of the election within 10 days after the secretary of state certifies the results. The Maine Constitution states that the law spelled out by the referendum would take effect 30 days after the governor issues that proclamation....

"Members of the incoming Legislature also have suggested that they will examine the law to see if added safeguards are needed to ensure marijuana does not become available to people younger than 21....

"Maine becomes the second New England state, after Massachusetts, to legalize marijuana use for recreational purposes. The state has allowed medical marijuana since 1999."

Read more: http://bangordailynews.com/2016/12/17/politics/recount-bid-ends-clearing-way-for-legal-marijuana-in-maine/

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Maine cannabis initiative recount begins Monday

Group withdraws request for recount of education surcharge vote - The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram - Gillian Graham:

November 29, 2016 - "The group opposed to a new income-tax surcharge on Tuesday withdrew its request for a recount of the Nov. 8 referendum results.... The recount of the tax referendum – Question 2 on the ballot – was scheduled to begin Thursday and would have been conducted at the same time as a recount of the marijuana legalization referendum, which was Question 1....

"Opponents of [marijuana] legalization in Maine requested the recount after unofficial results showed the question passed by a margin of less than 1 percent – 4,073 votes (381,692 to 377,619), according to unofficial results from the Secretary of State’s Office.

"The Question 1 recount is scheduled to begin Monday in the Florian Room of the Maine Department of Public Safety in Augusta. It is open to the public.

"Unless the referendum results are overturned by the recount, possession and recreational use of limited amounts of marijuana will become legal for adults 21 and older by Jan. 7.

"Maine was one of four states that voted last week to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older. Eight states and Washington, D.C., now have voted to legalize a recreational cannabis market....

"State officials say even one recount could take four to six weeks to complete and, if it goes on that long, could cost up to $500,000 in staff time, overtime and additional costs, such as paying for the Maine State Police to pick up padlocked and sealed ballot boxes from 503 individual towns and deliver them to Augusta. State police estimate it costs about $70,000 to collect ballots from 100 towns. Dunlap said there are additional costs to his office, including overtime for employees who are being pulled away from their regular work.

"Maine has never had a statewide recount that included every ballot, because the requesting group dropped it after a partial review. In 2010, opponents of the Oxford Casino referendum stopped a recount after a review of about 25 percent of ballots showed no significant change in results."

Read more: http://www.pressherald.com/2016/11/29/first-of-2-maine-referendum-recounts-will-start-thursday/
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Legal cannabis wins by slim margin in Maine

Maine Chooses to Legalize Marijuana for Recreational Use - ABC News- Patrick Whittle with Paul Sharp, Associated Press:

November 10, 2016 - "Maine residents have voted to legalize marijuana for recreational use in their state.

"The final results of the referendum were tabulated on Thursday. The count took nearly two days because of how close the race was, within a fraction of a percentage point, and The Associated Press made the call Thursday afternoon....

"People 21 or older will now be allowed to use up to 2 1/2 ounces of marijuana, and retail marijuana shops and social clubs could open around the state. Some municipalities have balked at allowing such businesses to open in their communities.

"Opponents who had vowed to request a recount said on Thursday that they would meet to decide what to do next.

"'We need to look at the numbers,' said Scott Gagnon, an organizer of a campaign against legalization that portrayed legalization as a threat to the health and safety of children....

"Marijuana won't become available at the retail level until after a state rulemaking process that could be slow and arduous....

"Pending the possibility of a recount, Maine joins California, Nevada and Massachusetts, which passed similar measures this week. Arizona rejected a similar measure. Recreational marijuana was already legal in Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Alaska."

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/maine-chooses-legalize-marijuana-recreational-43450933
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California, Massachusetts, & Nevada cannabis legalization initiatives pass

Voters Legalize Marijuana in Three States - The New York Times - Thomas Fuller:

November 9, 2016. - "Voters in California, Massachusetts and Nevada legalized marijuana on Tuesday in what advocates said was a reflection of the country’s changing attitude toward the drug.

"A similar measure in Maine led by less than a point with 98 percent of precincts reporting. Voters in Arizona defeated a legalization measure.

"Leading up to the election, recreational marijuana use was legal in four states: Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington, along with the District of Columbia.

"With the addition of California, Massachusetts and Nevada, the percentage of Americans living in states where marijuana use is legal for adults rose above 20 percent, from 5 percent.

"A Gallup poll in October found nationwide support for legalization at 60 percent, the highest level in the 47 years the organization has tracked the issue. Support is rising even though some public health experts warn that there have been insufficient studies of the drug’s effects, and that law enforcement agencies lack reliable tests and protocols to determine whether a driver is impaired by marijuana.

"Supporters in California portrayed legalization as both a social justice and a criminal justice issue, saying the measure would help redress the disproportionate numbers of arrests and convictions among minorities for drug crimes.

"A bill to legalize marijuana in Vermont, supported by Gov. Peter Shumlin, a Democrat, failed this year. But in Massachusetts, public support for legalization rose during the fall, even with bipartisan opposition from the state’s top elected officials and an organized anti-legalization campaign.

"In addition to Tuesday’s votes on recreational marijuana, Arkansas, Florida, Montana and North Dakota all passed medical marijuana initiatives."

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/09/us/politics/election-ballot.html?_r=0
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Maine Libertarians gain official party status

Libertarians say their candidates will be on November ballot | News | eagletribune.com - Marina Villaneuve, Associated Press:

July 14, 2016 - "The Libertarian Party of Maine says it officially has enough signatures to become an official political party and have its presidential and vice presidential candidates appear on the November ballot.

"Party chairman Chris Lyons, of Brunswick, said that on Tuesday afternoon, a deputy secretary of state informed him that the party has 'comfortably exceeded' the 487 signatures it needed to gather since late May to reach a 5,000-signature threshold.

"Secretary of State spokeswoman Kristen Muszynski said results will be official in a few days, after all signatures are received.

"The national Libertarian Party's candidates are New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson for president and former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld for vice president....

"The Libertarian Party of Maine was last an official political party in the early 1990s, though its presidential and vice presidential candidates also appeared on Maine's 2012 ballot as independents following a successful petition drive, former chairman Jorge Maderal said.

"The party went to court in January to defend its most recent signature-gathering effort after the state rejected almost 2,000 of its signatures.

"In late May, a federal judge gave the Libertarian Party of Maine until July 12 to get enough signatures to become a ballot-qualified party.

"Judge John A. Woodcock Jr. denied the group's request to place lower-office candidates on the ballot. He also said the Libertarian Party's likely to win an argument that Maine's Dec. 1 deadline to certify parties is 'unconstitutionally early'."

Read more: http://www.eagletribune.com/news/libertarians-say-their-candidates-will-be-on-november-ballot/article_43144d1f-4634-576f-9b28-30c345c77b19.html
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Maine cannabis initiative OK'd for 2016 ballot

It's official: Maine will decide on marijuana legalization in 2016 - David Sharp, Associated Press:

April 28, 2016 - "A referendum proposal to legalize marijuana for recreational use in Maine has met the threshold to appear on the November ballot, Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap said Wednesday.

"The announcement means the citizen initiative will be forwarded Friday to state lawmakers, who can either enact it now or put it before voters in the fall....

"The measure would legalize marijuana for recreational use for adults 21 and older, allowing them to possess up to 2.5 ounces. It also would regulate and tax marijuana. Maine already legalized marijuana for medical use in 1999.

"Earlier Wednesday, Maine’s chief justice removed a legal hurdle to allow the review of referendum petitions to resume.

"Election officials certified an additional 11,305 signatures, enough to surpass the necessary 61,123 signatures of registered voters.... The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol originally submitted 99,229 signatures on Feb. 1, but only 51,543 of the signatures were deemed to be valid.

"A review was ordered after a judge set aside Dunlap’s decision to reject thousands of signatures because the notary’s signature didn’t match the signature on file in Augusta.

"The review resumed Wednesday after Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Leigh Saufley denied an individual’s request to intervene that had stalled the process.

"Dunlap said Wednesday that seven circulators whose petitions containing 11,305 signatures were originally invalidated have sworn under oath that they signed their petitions in front of notary Stavros Mendros.

"Maine will be one of several states considering marijuana legalization proposals. Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Washington, D.C., already have made recreational use of marijuana legal for adults."

Read more: http://www.thecannabist.co/2016/04/28/maine-marijuana-legalization-election-2016/52962/
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