Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §1, sub-§21-A is enacted to read:

21-A.__Instant run-off voting method.__"Instant run-off voting method" means a method of casting and tabulating votes that simulates the ballot counts that would occur if all voters participated in a series of run-off elections and that allows voters to rank candidates according to their preferences.

Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §1, sub-§27-C is enacted to read:

27-C.__Offices subject to instant run-off voting method.__ "Offices subject to the instant run-off voting method" means the offices of President, Vice President, United States Senator, United States Representative to Congress, Governor, State Senator and State Representative.

Sec. 3. 21-A MRSA §601, sub-§2, ¶J is enacted to read:

J.__For offices subject to the instant run-off voting method, the ballot must be simple and easy to understand and allow a voter to rank candidates for an office in order of choice.__A voter may include no more than one write-in candidate among that voter's ranked choices for each office.__ If feasible, ballots must be designed so that a voter may mark that voter's first choices in the same manner as that for offices not elected by the instant run-off voting method.

Instructions on the ballot must conform substantially to the following specifications, although subject to modification based on ballot design and voting machine:

"Vote for candidates by indicating your first-choice candidate and ranking additional candidates in order of preference.__Indicate your first choice by marking the number "1" beside a candidate's name, your 2nd choice by marking the number "2" beside a candidate's name, your 3rd choice by marking the number "3" beside a candidate's name and so on, for as many choices as you wish.__You may choose to rank only one candidate, but ranking additional candidates will not help defeat your first-choice candidate.__ Do not mark the same number beside more than one candidate.__ Do not skip numbers."

Sec. 4. 21-A MRSA §603, sub-§1, ¶C is enacted to read: