It's primary day in the great state of Maine and voters will participate in a very special election, but Governor Paul LePage says he may not certify the results.
Maine has adopted a ranked-choice voting system and LePage says he may not recognize the results because he personally dislikes it.
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 is no stranger to ignoring the will of voters.
Residents of Maine voted overwhelming in favor of expanding Medicaid under Obamacare last November and LePage still hasn't implemented the program or even drafted a plan to implement it. A state superior court recently ordered LePage to begin the process of implementing expansion, but he's appealing the ruling.
When LePage says he'll "leave it up to the courts to decide" what the results of today's primary vote will be, there's a good chance he'll appeal that ruling as well.
The state's secretary of state and attorney general, who are both Democrats, are currently trying to figure out how they can certify the results without LePage.