PORTLAND, Maine (AP)  An independent state lawmaker believes Maine’s new ranked-choice voting system will help his bid to unseat a popular Democratic congresswoman in the state’s 1st Congressional District.

Democrat-turned-independent Marty Grohman believes the voting system designed to reveal a consensus winner through ballot rankings and extra tabulations gives him a better chance of beating both a liberal Democrat, incumbent Rep. Chellie Pingree, and a conservative Republican, Mark Holbrook.

A spokesman for Pingree says no matter how the election is conducted, he is confident she will be convincingly re-elected.

Ranked-choice voting is going to be used for the first time in federal races in November.