Maine: “LePage declares he ‘probably’ won’t certify election results, but secretary of state says they’re still binding”

The Press Herald reports:

Gov. Paul LePage announced he may not certify the results from a historic vote Tuesday because he is opposed to a new way of voting.

Tuesday is the first time in Maine where voters statewide will use a ranked-choice system, which allows voters to submit a ballot that ranks votes for candidates in order of preference. It is being used in both parties’ voting for gubernatorial candidates, a race for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House in the state’s 2nd congressional district and a state legislative seat.

LePage, in an interview with WCSH-TV, called the voting system “the most horrific thing in the world” and said he “probably” won’t certify the results and instead will “leave it up to the courts to decide.”

LePage also said, incorrectly, that Maine had ranked-choice voting before and former Gov. Joshua Chamberlain “got rid of it” because it was not working.

Secretary of State Matt Dunlap, in an interview Tuesday morning, said the election results will be binding whether LePage certifies them or not.

Share this: