Ranked-choice voting in Maine threatens Susan Collins in final days of close Senate race

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The appearances reflected the contrast between the two women waging the most expensive Senate race in Maine history. It has barely shifted since Gideon entered the fray more than 16 months ago, hoping to capitalize on liberal anger against Trump and outrage over Collins’ vote to confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court to deny the Republican senator a fifth term.

But through a presidential impeachment trial, a deadly pandemic and yet another historically partisan Supreme Court confirmation battle, neither candidate has been able to maintain a steady advantage in the race. Instead, because of a relatively new voting system in Maine, the outcome of the contest — and potentially the power balance in the Senate — may come down not to whom Maine voters name first, but whom they name second.

The contest on Tuesday is likely to be the first time that Maine will count second choices in a Senate race using a ranked-choice voting system that has been in place since 2018. It allows voters to list a second candidate and counts those preferences as votes if no one reaches 50% when the first-choice votes are tabulated. The system could prove particularly dangerous for Collins — who like Gideon has consistently drawn below 50% in public polls conducted in recent months — because Lisa Savage, a progressive running as an independent in the race, has urged her supporters to list Gideon second.

https://www.boston.com/news/national-news/2020/11/01/ranked-choice-voting-maine-susan-collins-senate-race?s_campaign=bcom%3Asocialflow%3Atwitter

Interesting. Ranked-Choice was a ballot question in MA this year. I hope it takes Sue down in this election.