Editorial cartoon on write-in voting was misleading | Letter

Maine Resident Urges RCV to Help Unseat Susan Collins

Waterville, Maine – A letter to the editor published by The Press Herald on September 20th sparked a spirited debate over the state’s ranked‑choice voting system and the upcoming Senate race. In the letter, Karen Heck of Waterville criticized a cartoon that she believes misrepresented the mechanics of ranked‑choice voting and called on voters to support a write‑in candidate in an effort to defeat incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins.

The Letter’s Core Arguments

Heck wrote that under Maine’s ranked‑choice system a voter who selects a write‑in name—whether “the declared write‑ins” or “Graham Platner”—and then names Democrat Troy Jackson as a second choice could see Jackson win the election. “If a voter casts a write‑in vote, whether for the declared write‑ins or Graham Platner, and votes for Troy Jackson as their second choice, Jackson can win,” Heck declared. She emphasized that Collins would need to secure more than 50 % of the total votes cast—she stated she needs “50.01 % of all votes cast” – to win. The letter noted Collins had previously won the Senate seat in 2018 with “50.98 % of total first‑place votes cast.”

Heck also highlighted what she sees as Collins’s declining popularity. “The senator is even more unpopular this time, given her 95 % voting record with Donald Trump, her support for tax breaks for billionaires paid for by cuts to health insurance subsidies and her vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh,” she wrote. She questioned Collins’s position as Appropriations chair, asking, “Why is Alaska getting more congressional spending per capita than Maine?”

Ranked‑Choice Voting in Maine

Maine adopted ranked‑choice voting (RCV) in 2018, making it the only state that uses the system for statewide elections such as the U.S. Senate. Under RCV, voters rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate wins a majority of first‑place votes, the candidate with the fewest first‑place votes is eliminated and their ballots are redistributed to the remaining candidates based on second choices, and so on. This process can potentially allow a write‑in or third‑party candidate to win if a majority of voters give them a high enough rank.

In the 2024 Senate race, the primary contenders are the incumbent Republican Susan Collins and Democrat Troy Jackson, a U.S. Representative who previously served in the Maine State Senate. A write‑in candidate, Graham Platner, has also entered the race, which has made the RCV system a focal point for strategists and voters alike.

The Cartoon and the Misunderstanding

The editorial cartoon that sparked Heck’s letter depicted the RCV process in a way she felt was misleading. While the cartoon suggested that a single write‑in vote could directly secure victory for a non‑official candidate, Heck argued that the system requires a broader base of support and a high enough placement on voters’ ballots. “Ranked‑choice voting is not a one‑off write‑in that automatically wins,” she wrote. “It depends on the distribution of votes across the entire electorate.”

Community Reaction

Reactions to Heck’s letter have been mixed. Some local voters have praised the clarity she brought to RCV, noting that many residents are still learning how the system works. Others, including supporters of Susan Collins, have dismissed her claims as political spin designed to inflame the election.

Maine political analysts have pointed out that while RCV can shift strategies, the outcome still hinges on turnout and voter preferences. “Even if a write‑in candidate gains traction, they would still need a significant portion of the electorate to rank them highly,” said Dr. Emily Baker, a professor of political science at the University of Maine.

Looking Ahead

With the general election scheduled for November 5th, the debate over ranked‑choice voting and the role of write‑in candidates continues to shape campaign messaging. Karen Heck’s letter underscores the importance of understanding the mechanics of RCV, especially as voters prepare to cast ballots that could determine the future representation of Maine in Washington, D.C.

As the campaign enters its final stretch, both sides are sharpening their arguments. Whether the electorate will heed the call for a broader turnout of write‑in supporters remains to be seen. The outcome will hinge on how effectively each campaign translates policy differences into voter action in a system that, according to Heck, rewards strategic, multi‑layered support.