John,

THIS IS HUGE! Today, we turned in our signatures to the Maine Secretary
of State to put RCV Repeal on the ballot in November, blocking RCV from
being used in Maine's Presidential Election!

This is a historic victory. Not only did the Maine GOP and our Army of
volunteers overcome a global pandemic, but they also battled a statewide
stay-at-home order and government red tape that made collecting nearly
impossible.

But our fight has just begun.

Radical left-wing dark money groups have already made it clear they will
be exhausting all options to throw out the signatures of the people who
signed the Repeal RCV petitions and take away your voice.

That is why we need your help, please click here to chip in to defend
these signatures right now.

While liberal lawyers comb through every one of our certified
signatures, we need to be ready to fight back to ensure your voices are
heard.

These liberal RCV supporters claim they want "more voice and more
choice" but right now they are gearing up to TAKE AWAY YOUR VOICE AND
CHOICE.

Unlike the pro-RCV group fighting us, we do not have access to endless
amounts of dark-money to fund our legal team to protect your voice. Can
we count on you to make a donation NOW to protect Mainers voices and
ensure RCV Repeal will be on the ballot in November? Click here to
donate right now to defend these signatures and all this hard work.

This is urgent. We must all fight together to make sure we restore the
bedrock principle of "one person, one vote" back to our elections.

Thank you for all you do!

Sincerely,
Dr. Demi Kouzounas
Chair, Maine Republican Party

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 15, 2020
CONTACT: Jason Savage, [email protected]

MAINE GOP ANNOUNCES REPEAL RCV CAMPAIGN COLLECTED MORE THAN 72,000
SIGNATURES TO PROTECT ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE IN MAINE'S PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTIONS

 

-More than 72,000 Mainers Signed Petitions to Repeal Ranked Choice
Voting in Maine's Presidential Elections

-Collected well beyond minimum required signatures when faced with
nearly insurmountable odds

-Only had 64 days of signature gathering instead of what is normally a
90-day period, collecting more than 1,100 signatures per day

-Forbidden to knock on doors, no large gatherings due to pandemic,
followed social distancing rules

-Experienced political minds calling achievement 'unprecedented,
historic, amazing'

-More than 315 'stop & sign' events in a three week period

-More than 500 volunteers and circulators

-Signatures gathered from more than 450 cities, towns, townships and
plantations across all 16 counties - this is nearly every community in
the state

-With virtually every other political deadline in Maine extended, Repeal
RCV campaign's deadline was actually shortened by about a month -
specifically targeted by Gov. Mills Executive Order on notaries denying
campaign same benefits as others

 

 

AUGUSTA, ME-- While facing nearly insurmountable odds and with forces
aligning to thwart Maine GOP efforts to collect the necessary signatures
to allow the people of Maine to have their voice heard, the Maine GOP
today is announcing that the Repeal RCV campaign is submitting well
beyond the required number of signatures to ensure repealing Ranked
Choice Voting will be on the ballot in November.

"Collecting more than 72,000+ signatures in the midst of a pandemic and
statewide lock-down that greatly reduced our capacity to collect
signatures is a historic feat," said Chair Dr. Demi Kouzounas.
"Completing this task with only 64 days of signature gathering is a true
testament to the dedication of our team and amazing volunteers and the
amount of energy Mainers have to restore the principle of one person,
one vote in our election process."

The coronavirus pandemic, statewide lock-down, early adjournment of the
Maine Legislature, and governmental red-tape created major delays in the
collecting process, allowing only 64 days of collecting. Despite the
odds stacked against them and numerous roadblocks, over 500 circulators
across the political spectrum collected signatures from more than 450
Maine cities, towns, and plantations in all 16 Maine counties.

"Major roadblocks in the signature collection process required our team
to completely re-invent the signature gathering process. Due to state
restrictions, we were forbidden from knocking doors and unlike other
people's veto campaigns, there were no large gatherings," said Jason
Savage, Executive Director of the Maine GOP.

"While other political deadlines were extended to assist campaigns, our
deadline was actually cut shorter by a month due to the early
adjournment of their legislature. That meant we had to go into overdrive
to make sure the voice of the voters was heard."

In order to collect the required number of signatures while complying
with CDC and State regulations, the Maine Republican Party held more
than 315 "Stop and Sign" events in a 3 week period, essentially
inventing a new signature gathering model and scaling it to
unprecedented levels in just days.

With all the burdens and obstacles placed before the campaign,
experienced political minds initially called the feat "unachievable".

Now that the process is complete, many are calling the accomplishment,
"unprecedented, historic, and amazing."

"We are proud of our team for completing the signature collecting
process and we are now focused on ensuring the People's Veto is
successful at the ballot box in November," said Jason Savage.

"The People's Veto has always been about restoring the sanctity of our
election process, preserving the bedrock American principle of 'one
person, one vote' and ensuring that Ranked Choice Voting does not
interfere with Maine's Presidential elections."

BACKGROUND:

After Governor Mills allowed the extension of Ranked Choice Voting to
the Presidential Election, the Maine Republican Party launched a
"People's Veto" to allow Mainers to have their voice heard and return
our Presidential Election to the bedrock American principle of "one
person, one vote".

Maine voters should not be subject to a process that so clearly violates

**one person, one vote,**serves as voter suppression, and puts Maine's
votes for President in question.

Our entire nation and the Presidential election should not be subject to
a complicated and time-consuming process that could tear Maine apart at
the seams.

**The promises supporters of ranked-choice voting made - funded with
massive amounts of out-of-state-money, have been proven false:**
-RCV is NOT a more fair or equal process. It allows some voters to get
multiple votes, while some only get one vote.

-RCV does NOT create majority winners.  In fact some people's ballots
are "exhausted" and thrown out in the counting.

-RCV does NOT make elections more civil or cut down on negative
politics.

-RCV does NOT increase participation. In fact, it serves as voter
suppression.

-RCV is NOT simple. Maine's experience shows a much higher rate of
voter error and spoiled ballots.

-RCV costs our cities, towns and state more money than traditional
elections.

-RCV has already been found unconstitutional in state general elections.
Why should we use it anywhere?

By submitting the required number of signatures, the Maine Republican
Party has halted the use of Ranked Choice Voting in the 2020
Presidential Election in Maine. The question will be decided on the
November ballot.
_________________

Sent to [email protected]

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