Congressman challenges election system, not tally

Rep. Bruce Poliquin (R-ME) owns a narrow lead in his run for re-election – but that’s expected to evaporate in a pending ranked choice run-off. Tuesday, he asked a federal court to call the race now.

Over the course of 22 pages, lawyers for Poliquin and other republican voters argue the race should be over. With nearly every vote counted, the incumbent leads democratic challenger Jared Golden by about 2,000 votes. Under Maine’s system, because neither Poliquin nor Golden convinced a majority of voters to make them their first choice, the fallback picks of those who preferred other candidates are counted. 

“I realize it’s a hullabaloo in Maine but to me, it seems ranked choice voting is working,” said Ruth Greenwood, Senior Legal Voting Counsel for Campaign Legal Center.