Do you understand ranked-choice voting? If not, LEAD Maine says you are not alone.

LEWSITON, Maine – With Maine’s June 9 primary election approaching, LEAD Maine is planning a seminar next Tuesday, May 12 at 6:30 p.m. aimed at helping voters better understand the ranked-choice voting system that will be used in the upcoming primary.

The event, titled “Ranked-Choice Voting Decoded,” is being promoted by LEAD Maine and State Rep. Laurel Libby, (R-Auburn), who serves as the organization’s executive director. Libby posted an update encouraging Mainers to RSVP for the May 12 event.

Ranked-choice voting, often referred to as RCV, allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference rather than selecting only one. Under Maine’s system, first-choice votes are counted first. If no candidate receives a majority, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and ballots for that candidate are redistributed to the voter’s next ranked choice. That process continues until a candidate receives a majority.

For many voters, however, the process remains confusing, especially in crowded primary fields where second, third, and even fourth choices could determine the final outcome.

That is where LEAD Maine says its seminar comes in.

The organization describes its mission as educating Mainers on issues affecting the state, mobilizing citizens for long-term civic and electoral engagement, and advancing a conservative vision for Maine.

The timing is significant. Maine’s 2026 primary election is scheduled for Tuesday, June 9, and will include races for U.S. Senate, both congressional districts, governor, all 35 state Senate seats, all 151 House seats, and several county offices. The Secretary of State’s Office says Maine’s primary elections determine each qualified party’s nominees for the November general election.

Maine first used ranked-choice voting in the June 12, 2018 primary election, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. Since then, the system has continued to draw both support and criticism, with voters, candidates, and political organizations often debating whether it gives Mainers more choice or makes the voting process harder to understand.

LEAD Maine’s May 12 seminar is being presented as an effort to cut through that confusion before voters head to the polls.

For Maine voters who still find ranked-choice voting difficult to follow, LEAD Maine’s message is straightforward: help is on the way.