Bellows statement regarding necessity of RCV tabulation in CD2 race
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, November 8, 2024
AUGUSTA — Secretary Bellows released the below statement Friday regarding the necessity of conducting a ranked-choice voting tabulation in the Maine Congressional District 2 race between Congressman Jared Golden, State Representative Austin Theriault, and declared write-in candidate Diana Merenda.
“Maine law requires all ranked-choice races to be decided by ranked-choice principles. The rule allowing election officials to forgo a ranked-choice tabulation if a candidate receives more than 50% of the first-choice vote must be interpreted to apply only in situations in which it is mathematically impossible for the leading candidate, as reflected by municipal election returns, to lose if the race were to proceed to a ranked-choice tabulation. That is not the case in this race.
“Under Maine election law, “blanks” may well include write-ins for someone other than the three official candidates. Given that more than 12,000 voters made a first choice that was not either Congressman Golden or Representative Theriault, it is mathematically possible that the second choices of those voters could change the outcome. For that reason, the law requires that we proceed with the ranked choice voting tabulation.”
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