From this voter’s perspective, ranked-choice voting is a response to the constant rancor between the parties and should not be a partisan issue (April 8).

When both parties seem to be so entrenched in their beliefs that they must demonize the others for their views, I believe that a majority of those who voted in Maine in 2016 supported ranked-choice voting because they are looking for some relief.

Our current system of settling on a plurality of the vote has outlived its usefulness. Often referred to as “first past the post,” it limits the electorate’s ability to have rational input on elections because it advocates a winner-take-all approach. The losers are the people of Maine, and we feel powerless to effect change in a system that time and time again promotes dominance of one party over another. This dogfight must end if we are ever to expect a functioning government.

Tracy Floyd

Cape Elizabeth