Progressives vote for their favorite candidates without the fear of spoilers.

At a May 12 Democratic gubernatorial forum hosted by Indivisible, the crowd is treated to a reinterpretation of the 1940s novelty song, “I’m My Own Grandpa.” The new lyrics relate a saga still raw for many Mainers: how two Independents split the vote in 2010, letting racist Republican Paul LePage be elected in the traditionally blue state with less than 38 percent of the vote. In 2014, it happened again (with just one Independent this time).

The audience joins the chorus:

We want RCV

We want RCV 

It sounds funny I know, but the people will show you,

We want RCV 

The tone is jubilant. RCV, or ranked-choice voting, is a procedural solution to the problem of vote-splitting. After a three-year tussle between activists and legislators, Maine will become the first state to use RCV, in June. 

The candidate forum doubles as a lesson in RCV.