The Legislature has sent Gov. Paul LePage a bill that would move Maine back to a statewide presidential primary in 2020. It’s a move LePage has said he supports, but at least a handful of state lawmakers are questioning whether all taxpayers should have to foot the $1 million to $2 million bill for a March election that only benefits the state’s major parties. LePage, who had yet to act on the bill, said Wednesday he favors a system that would allow all registered voters to participate. “If you’re an American citizen, you should have the right to vote,” LePage said. It’s a sentiment shared by some lawmakers who opposed the switch to a primary system geared only toward registered Republicans and Democrats.
During a House floor debate on the measure, which passed the House of Representatives on Tuesday afternoon, Rep. James Campbell, an independent from Newfield, said he was voting against the measure because the primary would exclude the large portion of Maine voters who are not enrolled in either party.
Campbell said if the intent were to only allow those who were enrolled in the parties to participate, he opposed the move. He noted that a number of other states, including Maine’s closest neighbor, New Hampshire, hold so-called “open primaries” that allow all registered voters to select from any of the candidates seeking the highest office in the country.
Full Article: Legislature approves bill to create presidential primaries in Maine | Sun Journal.