3.__Modification of instant run-off voting method ballot and count.__Modification of an instant run-off voting method ballot and count is permitted in accordance with the following.

A.__If the Secretary of State determines that the number of candidates for a particular office exceeds the practical space requirements for ranking all candidates on the ballot, the number of allowable rankings may be limited to no fewer than 5 candidates.

B.__More than one candidate may be eliminated simultaneously if the number of total votes credited for those candidates is fewer than the number of total votes credited for the candidate with the next greatest number of votes.

4.__Effect on rights of political parties.__For all statutory and constitutional provisions in the State pertaining to the rights of political parties, the number of votes cast for a party's candidate for a particular office is the number of votes credited to that candidate after the initial round of counting.

Sec. 10. 21-A MRSA §805, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 161, §6, is amended to read:

2. Presidential electors. The presidential electors at large shall cast their ballots for the presidential and vice- presidential candidates who received the largest number of votes in were declared the winners pursuant to section 726 for the State. The presidential electors of each congressional district shall cast their ballots for the presidential and vice-presidential candidates who received the largest number of votes were declared the winners pursuant to section 726 in each respective congressional district.

SUMMARY

This bill creates the instant run-off voting method of determining winners in elections for President, Vice President, United States Senator, United States Representative to Congress, Governor, state Senator and state Representative. The method simulates the ballot counts that would occur if all voters participated in a series of run-off elections and allows a voter to rank candidates according to that voter's preferences. Each voter has only one vote for each office, and the ballot count is the same as would occur if voters participated in a series of