An Act To Establish a Run-off Process for the Election of the Governor, United States Senator or United States Representative

Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §726  is enacted to read:

§ 726.  Run-off election; Governor; United States Senator; United States Representative

The candidate for Governor, United States Senator or United States Representative who receives more than 50% of all the votes cast for the office is elected Governor, United States Senator or United States Representative. If no candidate receives more than 50% of all the votes cast, a 2nd election must be held within 2 weeks after the first election. In the 2nd election, the names of the 2 candidates who received the most votes must be placed on the ballot. The candidate who receives more than 50% of all the votes cast at the 2nd election is elected. The 2nd election must be called and held in the same manner and under the same rules as the first election.

SUMMARY

This bill requires that a successful candidate for Governor, United States Senator or United States Representative receive more than 50% of the votes cast for the office. Currently, the candidate who receives the largest number of votes is declared the winner, regardless of that number's percentage of the total number of votes cast for the office. The bill requires a run-off election between the 2 candidates who received the largest number of votes when no candidate received more than 50% of the total number of votes cast in an election. The person who receives the larger number of votes in the run-off election is declared the winner.