Pennsylvania May Do Away With Winner-Takes-All in Electoral College

Pileggi says he wants to change that “winner-take-all system,” and guide the system used in Maine and Nebraska through Pennsylvania’s Legislature this fall, before the 2012 presidential votes are cast. Republicans in both chambers say the bill has a strong chance of moving fast enough to be approved for next year.

“The system we have now, is a winner-take-all system, the system I am proposing would more precisely conform the electoral college to the popular vote and it would make the presidential election more relevant across the state, give voters more of a sense that they are active participants in the presidential election.”

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Maine: 2010 Census Results for Counties and Towns

1		Cumberland County………	265 612	281 674
2		York County………………	186 742	197 131
3		Penobscot County……………	144 919	153 923
4		Kennebec County…………	117 114	122 151
5		Androscoggin County…………	103 793	107 702
6		Aroostook County………	73 938	71 870
7		Oxford County………………	54 755	57 833
8		Hancock County…………………	51 791	54 418
9		Somerset County……	50 888	52 228
10		Knox County……………	39 618	39 736
11		Waldo County…………………	36 280	38 786
12		Sagadahoc County……………	35 214	35 293
14		Lincoln County…………………	33 616	34 457
13		Washington County…………	33 941	32 856
15		Franklin County………………	29 467	30 768
16		Piscataquis County………………	17 235	17 535
		CITY OR TOWN
1		Portland city……………	64 249	66 194
2		Lewiston city……………	35 690	36 592
3		Bangor city………………	31 473	33 039
4		South Portland city…………	23 324	25 002
5		Auburn city…………	23 203	23 055
7		Biddeford city………	20 942	21 277
8		Sanford town…………	20 806	20 798
6		Brunswick town………	21 172	20 278
9		Augusta city…………	18 560	19 136
10		Scarborough town…………	16 970	18 919
11		Saco city………………	16 822	18 482
12		Westbrook city……………	16 142	17 494
14		Windham town……………	14 904	17 001
15		Gorham town……………	14 141	16 381
13		Waterville city……………	15 605	15 722
16		York town……………	12 854	12 529
18		Falmouth town…………	10 310	11 185
17		Kennebunk town…………	10 476	10 798
24		Orono town…………	9 112	10 362
22		Standish town………	9 285	9 874

Maine: Portland Press Herald Endorses Dean Scontras

Image via Wikipedia

But Scontras is right that our tax system is too complex, and also correct in saying his opponent's ads wrongly describe the fair tax as an added level of taxation when it is intended to replace the income tax instead.
Scontras has downplayed the social issues that once were central to his campaign to focus on economic recovery. That should make him more palatable to independent voters.
He deserves to be. We endorse Dean Scontras for Maine's 1st Congressional District seat.

Portland Press Herald

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Maine: Republicans Regain Momentum

Governor:
Paul LePage             32
Libby Mitchell         20

Eliot Cutler              19



Also, Chellie Pingree's lead over Dean Scontras has fallen to just 5 points.

Maine: Pingree Lead Cut to 8, Lepage Leads Mitchell by 1

A new poll commissioned by the right-leaning web site Pine Tree Politics, which sampled more than 300 voters in Maine's First Congressional District shows incumbent Chellie Pingree with an eight-point lead over challenger Dean Scontras.

Fox23 Maine

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Maine: LePage Leads Mitchell by 1 pt, Pingree Lead Over Scontras Shrinks to 8 pts

According to poll results posted by Pine Tree Politics, Pingree leads Scontras 46 percent to 38 percent, with about 16 percent of respondents undecided, according to the poll conducted by the Maine Center for Public Opinion, a Portland-based firm. The sample size was 346 in the 1st Congressional District and 679 statewide, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.76 percent, according to the Pine Tree Politics. The poll used human callers and took place over four days, from Oct. 4-7.
The statewide poll results showed LePage leading the five-candidate field with about 30 percent to Mitchell’s 29 percent. Independent candidate Eliot Cutler had support from about 11 percent of respondents, independent Shawn Moody had about 5 percent and independent Kevin Scott had about two percent.

The Kennebec Journal

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Maine: State's Two Democrat Representatives in Trouble

1st District
Chellie Pingree 47, Dean Scontras 38

2nd District
Mike Michaud 45, Jason Levesque 38

PPP

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Maine Anomaly Scares Obama Gang

While many polls during the past week and a half have shown Obama gaining in battleground states, Maine is moving in favor of McCain. With the race as close as it is, if McCain is able to peel of the 1 electoral vote from the northern congressional district he will be able to avoid the dreaded 269-269 tie that many people have been talking about. A situation like this would probably end up in Obama's favor, because then it would be up to each state's congressional delegation to cast 1 vote for president—only 1 vote, no matter how small or large the delegation. Since the liberals are likely to have more delegations than the Republicans, Obama would most likely be picked as president. But a single district in Maine can change all that by making it 270 to 268 in favor of McCain.
It does not get any closer than that—without a civil war breaking out.

Maine: Obama Lead Down to 5 in Deep Blue State

Obama 49
McCain 44
Source: Survey USA

Maine: McCain Cuts Obama's 22 pt Lead to 10 in One Month

Maine Trends: McCain vs. Obama
Date	McCain	Obama
07/17/2008	36%	46%
06/16/2008	33%	55%
05/14/2008	38%	51%
04/01/2008	39%	49%

Maine Republican Switches Parties, Then Switches Back Again

"Turner said Thursday he switched parties so that he would be able to vote in the 1st Congressional District Democratic primary on Tuesday and will return to the GOP fold afterward."
—Boston.com

Maine: Gays & Transgendered Plan to Attack Pro-Family Petitioners

Romney Wins Maine Caucus Even Though He's Not Running

Maine: Collins Leads Allen, 57% to 32%

Somalis Destroying Historic Maine City