FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: October 21, 2020
CONTACT: Jason Savage ([email protected])

Maine GOP Calls on Secretary of State To Clarify Conflicting RCV Instructions on Ballots


AUGUSTA-- Maine Republican Party Chair, Dr. Demi Kouzounas, released the following statement regarding conflicting instructions on how to use Ranked Choice Voting on Maine's 2020 ballots:

"Secretary of State Dunlap needs to issue an immediate clarification to Maine's election clerks and staff regarding the conflicting instructions his office has given," said Maine GOP Chair Dr. Demi Kouzounas. "On one hand, Secretary Dunlap's website instructions tell voters, correctly, that they can select one candidate across their ballot in each round. But on the other hand, the instructions Secretary Dunlap put on our actual ballots says the opposite.

"Once again we are seeing unforced errors made by Secretary of State Matt Dunlap," said Chair Dr. Demi Kouzounas. "Earlier this year, the Secretary of State lost 11,000 ballots in the Maine Primary, now, he has put out contradicting instructions on how to use Ranked Choice Voting on the 2020 General Election ballots."

"The Maine Republican Party has received a flood of concerns from voters regarding the instructions on this November's ballot about this specific contradiction. It must be clarified immediately," added Dr. Kouzounas. "Everyone who understands RCV knows a voter can vote for the same candidate in each round, yet in the most importand spot in the election, on Maine's ballots, Secretary Dunlap has sown confusion on the matter."

The images below show the discrepancy in the voting instructions provided by the Secretary of State's website and those listed on the ballot. On instructions printed on the ballot it states that voters should, "fill in no more than one oval for each candidate." However, the Secretary of State's website informs voters that a valid form of voting is filling multiple ovals across for one candidate.
 
"Instructions to Voters" on Maine's 2020 ballots
"This discrepancy is causing distress among Maine voters and confusion among clerks. We are calling on Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap to immediately issue a public clarification and instruct ALL town clerks that this method of voting is valid. This is needed to stop the disenfranchising Maine voters and to ensure the voter suppression of Ranked Choice Voting is limited. There is no valid excuse or explanation for why Secretary Dunlap cannot do this."

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