Maine is using instant runoff voting this year, and there is still a chance it could make a difference in the Senate race. The system allows voters to rank their candidate preferences and then reallocates first-choice votes for the bottom candidate to voters' second choices until one candidate reaches a majority. That may have incentivized a large number of first-choice votes for minor-party candidates this year. But if Collins does not stay ahead of 50% in first preferences, we would need to wait for votes for the minor-party candidates to be reallocated.