Maine Archives | American Democracy Minute

Nebraska & New Hampshire Wrestle with “Winner Take All” and “Winner by District” Presidential Electoral Vote Systems

February 6, 2025February 6, 2025

A New Hampshire Senate bill, just killed in committee, would have moved the state’s four presidential electoral votes to a “Winner by District” system, from “Winner Take All”. Nebraska, the only state besides Maine which apportions its electoral votes by district, is trying to end it.

SCOTUS Turns Down Case Challenging Alaska’s Dark Money Disclosure Law. Great News for Voters and a Possibly a Future Case in Maine.

November 20, 2024November 20, 2024

A 2020 Alaska ballot initiative took steps to shine a light on dark money campaign funding. The U.S. Supreme Court just turned down a challenge to that law, and it may be good news for an expected case in Maine.

Maine Voters Overwhelmingly Pass Limits to Individual Contributions to SuperPACs, and Lay the Groundwork for SCOTUS Case

November 12, 2024November 12, 2024

“Do you want to set a $5,000 limit for giving to political action committees that spend money independently to support or defeat candidates for office?” Almost 75% of Maine voters agreed with that statement November 5th, overwhelmingly passing ballot initiative Question 1. But its second act may be even more important.

Spoiler Alert: Ranked Choice Voting Could Solve the Green Party and RFK Jr. ‘Spoiler Effect’

September 26, 2024September 26, 2024

Spoiler alert: Both major political parties are trying to minimize the impact of voters choosing third party candidates in the 2024 election. What could fix the “spoiler effect”, and allow third party candidates to still compete? Ranked choice voting.

Maine Becomes the 17th State to Join the National Popular Vote Compact

April 18, 2024April 18, 2024

Maine became the 17th state to join the National Popular Vote Compact April 15th, pledging the state’s Presidential electoral votes to the candidate with the most overall votes nationally. It won’t impact the 2024 election, but brings the national effort within 61 votes of having the candidate with the most votes be the winner.