Permit me to be happy today since Jared Golden was declared the winner to represent Maine’s second congressional district, the first to win under the Ranked Choice Voting system. This was adopted after two separate public referendums in 2016 and 2018. I don’t pretend this is the comprehensive or definitive diary on the subject, but I do think it’s worthwhile to get the facts out there.
History of Maine Governor’s elections
There is a history of electing Maine State Governors by plurality, not by majority. The most recent such occasion was in 2010, when Paul LePage got in under the wire with only 37.6% of the vote. (He was re-elected with 48.2% in a three-way race).
He was not the first to win with a just plurality, and he was not the only.
In 2006, John Baldacci won re-election in a four-way race with 38.11%
in 2002, Baldacci’s first campaign resulted in victory with 47% in a three-way race.
In 1998, Angus King won re-election with 58.61%
In 1994, Angus King won with 35.4% ( an an independent. the GOP candidate came in third — her name was Susan Collins).
In 1990 John McKernan (R) won re-election with 46.7%
In 1986 McKernan’s first election to the Blaine House was accomplished in a fourway race where he got 39.9%
In 1982, Joe Brennan (D) won re-election with 61.91% in a two way race.
In 1978 Joe Brennan won his first term with 47.8% in a three-way race.
In 1974 James Longley (I) won his only term with 37.8% (he did not run for re-election) in a three-way contest.
In 1970 Ken Curtis (D) won re-election with 50.14%
In 1966 Ken Curtis (D) won with 53.12%, defeating the incumbent.
As Wikipedia noted about 1966:
This was the last gubernatorial election in Maine in which a non-incumbent candidate won with a majority of the vote, until Janet Mills won with 50.8% of the vote in 2018.
Hooray for Janet Mills! ( the Democrat!)
Ms. Mills did something the previous six Maine governors were not able to pull off in their first term.
This is what Janet Mills brings:
In other words, In the past fifty years, every time the incumbent was term-limited out or chose not to run, the winner was decided by a plurality not a majority.
Back to Jared Golden
Will it make a difference that Jared Golden won? HELL YES!
Conclusion
I am sure there are other Maine-based KOSsacks who can share her opinions as to RCV and the climate there. The soon-to-depart Governor LePage has already said he’s going to retire to Florida.