128th MAINE LEGISLATURE
LD 1625 LR 2375(01)
An Act To Repeal the Ranked-choice Voting Law
Preliminary Fiscal Impact Statement for Original Bill
Sponsor: Sen. Mason of Androscoggin
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
             
Preliminary Fiscal Impact Statement
Unbudgeted savings will not be booked - General Fund
Unbudgeted savings will not be booked - Highway Fund
Fiscal Detail and Notes
Costs related to ranked-choice voting were estimated in the fiscal note for LD 1557 of the 127th Legislature, which was introduced as Initiated Bill 2 in response to a successful citizens initiated petition drive. As LD 1557 was indefinitely postponed, there was no opportunity to put funding for the Secretary of State (SOS) or the Department of Public Safety (DPS) into that bill. Subsequent approval by the voters in November of 2016 meant any funding would have to wait for implementing legislation. Repealing ranked-choice voting will eliminate any costs that would have been incurred by the SOS and the DPS. Costs had been estimated at approximately $850,000 to the General Fund the first year and $740,000 annually thereafter and $52,000 to the Highway Fund annually. As no funding has ever been budgeted, no savings will be booked on repeal.