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Rep. Poliquin to appeal ruling upholding his loss in ranked-choice election
Press Herald ^ | December 17, 2018

Posted on 12/18/2018 2:03:18 AM PST by SMGFan

The Republican hopes the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston will look more favorably on his case challenging the constitutionality of Maine's voting law.

Rep. Bruce Poliquin is appealing a recent federal judge’s rejection of his lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of ranked-choice voting.

Poliquin and three other residents of Maine’s 2nd Congressional District filed a notice of appeal Monday, four days after a U.S. District Court judge dismissed his constitutional arguments and refused to order a new election. Attorneys for Poliquin said they plan to file a brief Tuesday with the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston.

The two-term Republican lost the 2nd District election to Democratic Rep.-elect Jared Golden in the nation’s first use of ranked-choice voting to decide a congressional race. Poliquin trails Golden by more than 3,500 votes and has sought to overturn an election process that his campaign claims was confusing for many voters and potentially violated the U.S. Constitution.

(Excerpt) Read more at pressherald.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; US: Maine
KEYWORDS:
But the Democrats will control the House and Rules Committees
1 posted on 12/18/2018 2:03:18 AM PST by SMGFan
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To: SMGFan

What happened to Poloquin is a horrible tragedy. He won this election, but fuzzy logic denied him Victory. The Constitution abides no fuzzy logic. One man, one vote.


2 posted on 12/18/2018 2:09:34 AM PST by Candor7 ((Obama Fascism)http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2009/05/barack_obama_the_quintessentia_1.html)
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To: Candor7

Unfortunately by a slyly worded referendum question Ethan Strimmling who lost an election, and his band of leftists who wish to rule the world, tricked voters into state-wide rank choice voting.

This travesty is the Will of the People.


3 posted on 12/18/2018 2:17:36 AM PST by Chickensoup (Never count on anyone, ever.)
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To: Candor7

Rats will require a new election with the top 2 before they ever let him sit. IMO


4 posted on 12/18/2018 2:20:56 AM PST by SMGFan
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To: SMGFan
Despite Poliquin’s claims of voter confusion over a “chaotic” ranked-choice system, municipal clerks throughout the 2nd District reported few issues with the process on Election Day. But both Poliquin and his attorneys have made clear that they see the case as a larger fight – with national implications – over the use of ranked-choice voting.

From what I read it sounds like this is done on an computer based voting system.

And considering how complicated this ranked-choice system would be to program it sounds like it would be an easy system to do a little Democrat style vote rigging in the program.

Not to say that would ever happen.

/S

5 posted on 12/18/2018 2:22:48 AM PST by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit)
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To: Chickensoup

This travesty is the Will of the People.>>>>>>>>

Electing penquins instead of human would be unconstitutional, even if the people were tricked into voting for penquins instead of humans. Will of the People be damned , we do not live in a pure democracy.


6 posted on 12/18/2018 2:23:33 AM PST by Candor7 ((Obama Fascism)http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2009/05/barack_obama_the_quintessentia_1.html)
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To: SMGFan

Rats will require a new election with the top 2 before they ever let him sit. IMO>>>>

Rats want 2 kicks at the can in case they lose the first one, so they can put the cheat on against populist politics.

The ballot box is gradually evolving into a bullet box.


7 posted on 12/18/2018 2:26:10 AM PST by Candor7 ((Obama Fascism)http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2009/05/barack_obama_the_quintessentia_1.html)
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To: SMGFan
U.S. District Court Judge Lance Walker rejected those arguments in a strongly worded 30-page opinion. Walker ruled that the framers of the U.S. Constitution granted states broad discretion to operate their own elections and that “there is nothing inherently improper about an election that requires a contestant to achieve victory by a majority.”

I do agree with the judge here.

Which is why it is a grave constitutional error that 153 years after the end of Civil War that the Federal Courts are still controlling Southern States elections.

Which is why it is a grave constitutional error that courts required safe districts for black candidates.

Which is why it is a grave constitutional error that federal courts have any say in how states decide to draw congressional districts.

There are more of these injustices out there. Somebody help me out.

8 posted on 12/18/2018 2:31:55 AM PST by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit)
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To: Pontiac

automatic recount in which those who vote for the worst performing candidate gets to vote again and again , but the supporter for the candidate who fell just short of 50% count once.


9 posted on 12/18/2018 2:37:13 AM PST by SMGFan
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To: SMGFan
We have “Top Two” primaries here in Washington state - the two candidates with the most votes, regardless of party, advance to a head-to-head contest in the general election.

In 2016, my Democrat Congressman beat the GOP candidate 75%-25%.

In 2018, my Democrat Congressman ran against a Socialist Party candidate, and the Socialist got 30%, which was 5% more than the Republican got in 2016!

I refuse to vote in any election that is Leftist vs. Leftist, or where the Leftist is unopposed.

In political theory, the Top Two system is supposed to increase turn out.

In reality, if you live in a solid Blue state, it just means that the incumbent Democrat or Socialist wins almost every election.

10 posted on 12/18/2018 4:11:43 AM PST by zeestephen
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To: zeestephen

let me see if I have this correct.

In a 2000 vote district candidate A (Rep.) get 980 votes, B (Dem) get 520 voted, and C (Ind.) gets 500 votes. Those who voted for C. voted for more Dems than Reps on the rest of the ballot, therefore candidate B is awarded those 500 votes, giving B the win.

That sounds fair (/S)


11 posted on 12/18/2018 5:22:37 AM PST by DaiHuy (May God save the country, for it is evident the people will not! Millard Fillmore)
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To: DaiHuy
It's how voting is done in Australia where everyone is also required to vote but the system seems "unAmerican" to me. Top 2 was support to moderate the extremism in CA elections but all it did was give LEFT (D) and FAR LEFT (D) options in the general election.

I don't know if the people will ever realize the problems of the state aren't because a Republican might be in the White House but because it's a uniparty state bent on endless spending on crap (like high speed rail) whether the taxes or bond issuing can be sustained or not.

Recently watching interviews with Antonin Scalia reminds me the genius of the federal gov't design was to create gridlock. The founders didn't want to make it too easy to pass laws.

12 posted on 12/18/2018 5:47:52 AM PST by newzjunkey (Are we tired of winning yet?)
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To: DaiHuy

Yes. That way, if the spoiler is (basically) also a Dem, the real Dem can take those votes if he/she lost the popular to the Republican. However this never works if the spoiler leans right. If the Dem wins the popular vote, that’s it.....he/she wins the seat. When the Dems have control of the voting process, cheating is a given.


13 posted on 12/18/2018 6:04:08 AM PST by originalbuckeye ('In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act'- George Orwell)
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To: SMGFan

I am from ME but could not vote for Poliquin as I am in the southern district. I am, in a sense, a one issue voter. I am against abortion and thus have not voted for Snow, Collins, or other ‘conservatives’ in this state who support the murder of babies in the womb.
When I had the chance I voted against the rank choice voting but we lost. If, morally, I can not vote for someone who supports abortion then often I will not have a say in the second column as someone who is my second choice. I have lost the opportunity have a voice if the first vote does not have someone who is over 50%.
I hope we or the courts can turn this back. Let’s have a second vote between the top 2 vote getters like other states do.


14 posted on 12/18/2018 9:37:16 AM PST by JCM
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