Election of Town Council and School Board members may seem less compelling this year because the three incumbents are unopposed, but the Nov. 7 ballot will be packed with eight referendum questions – four citizen initiatives and four proposed changes to the state Constitution.
The first four referendum questions are citizen initiatives directing action by the state Legislature. In these initiatives, citizens must get approval for wording from the Secretary of State’s office, collect a minimum number of signatures, and submit the signatures to the Secretary of State’s office for verification. The signatures must number at least 10% of the total number of votes cast in the governor’s race in the previous gubernatorial election.
The last four questions would make changes to the state Constitution that have been approved by at least two-thirds of both the state House of Representatives and Senate, as required before the questions can be put on the statewide ballot.
The first three questions address electric utilities in the wake of widespread increases in electric bills and poor customer satisfaction ratings.
Question 1 would limit a utility’s ability to borrow more than $1 billion without voter approval.
Question 2 would ban foreign governments or entities controlled, or more than 5% owned, by a foreign government from funding election activities. In 2021, a record-breaking $90 million was spent by both sides on a citizens’ petition to stop the Quebec Hydro transmission corridor project. Central Maine Power, project developer, is a subsidiary of Avangrid, the U.S. presence of the Spain-based energy giant Iberdrola.
Question 3 proposes a customer-owned takeover of the electric grid delivery and transmission system by a new non-profit that would be called Pine Tree Power Co.
Question 4, known as the Right to Repair, would require vehicle manufacturers to standardize on-board diagnostic systems and provide owners and independent repair facilities with remote access to those systems and mechanical data. If passed, this would allow consumers and repair businesses broader access to high-tech diagnostic systems built into all kinds of new devices, not just vehicles.
Question 5 would, if enacted, give the Secretary of State’s office “100 business days” instead of “100 days” to review citizen petitions once signatures are turned in. It would also require an exception for petitions submitted within 30 days before or after an election to allow the department a 60-day buffer to concentrate on running the current election.
Question 6 would repeal an 1875 law that forbade printing three parts of the state Constitution and require that the entire, lengthy document be printed once again. One of the sections includes the state’s obligations to Maine tribes; the other two describe the state’s electoral districts and terms, and direct the convening of the first Maine Legislature in 1821, when Maine became a state.
Questions 7 and 8 would amend the state Constitution to eliminate laws ruled unconstitutional in federal courts or by federal law.
If Question 7 passes, the Constitution will no longer bar a non-resident or non-registered voter of Maine from circulating petitions for state referendums.
If Question 8 passes, people under guardianship for reasons of mental illness will no longer be barred from voting.
The Citizen’s Guide to the Maine Referendum Election put out by the Secretary of State is available at public libraries and online
Election of Town Council and School Board members may seem less compelling this year because the three incumbents are unopposed, but the Nov. 7 ballot will be packed with eight referendum questions – four citizen initiatives and four proposed changes to the state Constitution.
The first four referendum questions are citizen initiatives directing action by the state Legislature. In these initiatives, citizens must get approval for wording from the Secretary of State’s office, collect a minimum number of signatures, and submit the signatures to the Secretary of State’s office for verification. The signatures must number at least 10% of the total number of votes cast in the governor’s race in the previous gubernatorial election.
The last four questions would make changes to the state Constitution that have been approved by at least two-thirds of both the state House of Representatives and Senate, as required before the questions can be put on the statewide ballot.
The first three questions address electric utilities in the wake of widespread increases in electric bills and poor customer satisfaction ratings.
Question 1 would limit a utility’s ability to borrow more than $1 billion without voter approval.
Question 2 would ban foreign governments or entities controlled, or more than 5% owned, by a foreign government from funding election activities. In 2021, a record-breaking $90 million was spent by both sides on a citizens’ petition to stop the Quebec Hydro transmission corridor project. Central Maine Power, project developer, is a subsidiary of Avangrid, the U.S. presence of the Spain-based energy giant Iberdrola.
Question 3 proposes a customer-owned takeover of the electric grid delivery and transmission system by a new non-profit that would be called Pine Tree Power Co.
Question 4, known as the Right to Repair, would require vehicle manufacturers to standardize on-board diagnostic systems and provide owners and independent repair facilities with remote access to those systems and mechanical data. If passed, this would allow consumers and repair businesses broader access to high-tech diagnostic systems built into all kinds of new devices, not just vehicles.
Question 5 would, if enacted, give the Secretary of State’s office “100 business days” instead of “100 days” to review citizen petitions once signatures are turned in. It would also require an exception for petitions submitted within 30 days before or after an election to allow the department a 60-day buffer to concentrate on running the current election.
Question 6 would repeal an 1875 law that forbade printing three parts of the state Constitution and require that the entire, lengthy document be printed once again. One of the sections includes the state’s obligations to Maine tribes; the other two describe the state’s electoral districts and terms, and direct the convening of the first Maine Legislature in 1821, when Maine became a state.
Questions 7 and 8 would amend the state Constitution to eliminate laws ruled unconstitutional in federal courts or by federal law.
If Question 7 passes, the Constitution will no longer bar a non-resident or non-registered voter of Maine from circulating petitions for state referendums.
If Question 8 passes, people under guardianship for reasons of mental illness will no longer be barred from voting.
The Citizen’s Guide to the Maine Referendum Election put out by the Secretary of State is available at public libraries and online: https://www.maine.gov/…/upcoming/pdf/citizensguide23.pdf It describes the intent of the initiative and includes comments from people representing yes and no opinions as well as the amount of money needed to fund the question, should it pass.
The nonpartisan, nonprofit League of Women Voters’ of Maine https://www.lwvme.org/ballotquestions also provides information.
Also on November’s ballot, John James is running for a fourth term on the Town Council and Mallory Cook for a third term on the council. Heather Holland is seeking a second term on the RSU 35 Board of Directors. All are running unopposed.
Polls at Town Hall will be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 7. Residents may vote before then by absentee ballot and may register to vote on Election Day.
Link to Maine.gov Website: Maine Citizen’s Guide to the Referendum Election
