A post going viral on Facebook shows a marked ballot that gives up to six choices filled out for the same candidate, and implies that Maine voters can vote for the same candidate more than once.

Verdict: False

The post originated from a satire outlet.

Fact Check:

Maine is one of two states, along with Alaska, which utilize a concept called “ranked choice” voting, which allows for a voter to rank their choice of candidate by order of preference. It is also occasionally referred to as instant runoff voting (IRV) or proportional representation, among others.

A candidate will win the election if they get the majority of first-place votes. Certain other jurisdictions such as New York City and Cambridge, MA use ranked choice voting, as well. Enacting RCV for future election cycles is on the ballot in other states such as Idaho, where it is being met with some resistance.

Idahoans are being presented with a very deceptive proposition this election. They say it’s about open primaries, but it’s really about Ranked Choice Voting which will turn Idaho blue!

Vote NO on this deceptive and destructive proposition and help preserve Idaho’s way of life!… pic.twitter.com/alvPYP9Yco

— stopidahorinos (@stopidahorinos) October 26, 2024

A post being shared on Facebook shows a ballot from Maine for the 2024 election, and in it all six choices are filled out for Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Democrat Governor of Minnesota Tim Walz. The caption states, “In Maine, voters (sic) can be counted up to six times using this illegal trick. Ranked choice is a scam.”

While the ballot is, in fact, real, the post is misleading. Filling out all six rows for the same candidate does not result in six total votes, it would still be counted as one vote. According to the Maine Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions, doing this on a ballot not illegal.

The post originates from an outlet called “America’s Last Line Of Defense,” a known satire outlet. While there were no indications on the photo of the ballot or the caption that labeled this post satire, we can see from their main Facebook page and URL that they clearly state themselves to be satire.

Facebook/Screenshot

This story was first fact-checked by Reuters.