Resolve, To Establish the Task Force To Implement Ranked-choice Voting

Sec. 1. Task force established. Resolved: That, notwithstanding Joint Rule 353, the Task Force To Implement Ranked-choice Voting, referred to in this resolve as "the task force," is established; and be it further

Sec. 2. Task force membership. Resolved: That the task force consists of 9 members as follows:

1. The Secretary of State or the secretary's designee;

2. The Deputy Secretary of State overseeing the Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions or the deputy secretary's designee;

3. The Director of the Division of Elections and Voting within the Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions or the director's designee;

4. The chair of the Committee for Ranked Choice Voting, or the chair's designee;

5. One member appointed by the President of the Senate;

6. One member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

7. One member who is an expert in voting systems appointed by the President of the University of Maine; and

8. Two at-large members appointed by the members of the task force described in subsections 1 to 7; and be it further

Sec. 3. Chair. Resolved: That the Secretary of State or the secretary's designee is the chair of the task force; and be it further

Sec. 4. Appointments; convening of task force. Resolved: That all appointments under section 2, subsections 1 to 7 must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this resolve. The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of the Legislative Council once all appointments have been completed. If 30 days or more after the effective date of this resolve a majority of but not all appointments have been made, the chair may request authority and the Legislative Council may grant authority for the task force to meet and conduct its business; and be it further

Sec. 5. Duties. Resolved: That the task force shall make recommendations for rules and changes to the law to implement ranked-choice voting. These proposed rules and changes to the law must include but are not limited to provisions for the following:

1. Training for municipal clerks and other election officials;

2. Template design for ballots;

3. The use of paper ballots and the optional use of optical scanners;

4. The role of municipal clerks and other election officials;

5. Marking ballots;

6. Counting ballots;

7. Declaration of an election winner;

8. Recounts; and

9. Challenges of election results, including challenges due to mistake or fraud; and be it further

Sec. 6. Staff assistance. Resolved: That the Department of the Secretary of State shall provide necessary staffing services to the task force; and be it further

Sec. 7. Report. Resolved: That, no later than December 6, 2017, the task force shall submit a report that includes its findings and recommendations, including suggested legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs. The Joint Standing Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs may report out legislation concerning the report to the Second Regular Session of the 128th Legislature.

SUMMARY

This resolve establishes the Task Force To Implement Ranked-choice Voting. The task force is charged with making recommendations for rules and changes to the law to implement ranked-choice voting. The task force is required to submit a report containing its findings and recommendations to the Joint Standing Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs by December 6, 2017. The Joint Standing Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs may report out legislation concerning the report to the Second Regular Session of the 128th Legislature.