State lawmakers are once again debating whether Maine's three "constitutional officers" should be chosen by the Legislature — or by voters.
Maine is the only state in the nation where lawmakers elect the attorney general. It is also among a minority of states that use the same process to select the treasurer and the secretary of state. Rep. Billy Bob Faulkingham of Winter Harbor, who is the Republican leader in the House, argues that allowing voters to choose could lead to less partisan constitutional officers.
"They would be accountable to the people of Maine, and I think we'd really find some more moderate candidates, which I really, truly believe is where most of the people in Maine sort of sit in that camp," Faulkingham said.
Democratic Sen. Joe Baldacci is offering a compromise: allow voters to elect those constitutional officers — but do it via ranked-choice voting.
"Our Republican friends, in order to legitimately see these pass, they are going to have to re-evaluate their position on ranked-choice voting. And my Democratic friends are going to have re-evaluate their position on electing constitutional officers," Baldacci said.
Baldacci said such a compromise is the only way to get the two-thirds majorities needed in the Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot.
