What is on the Maine State Ballot in November?

MAINE PEOPLE BEFORE POLITICS VOTER GUIDE There are critical issues on the Maine ballot this year, in 2023. Maine People Before Politics wants to keep you informed. In an effort to ensure you have information regarding these issues, we have prepared the summary below. Mainers will vote on several ballot initiatives on November 7th. You can request your absentee ballot online by visiting the following website: https://apps.web.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/AbsenteeBallot/index.pl QUESTIONS 1 – 4: CITIZEN INITIATIVES   Question 1: An Act to Require Voter Approval of Certain Borrowing by Government-controlled Entities and Utilities and to Provide Voters More Information Regarding That Borrowing. Do you want to bar some quasi-governmental entities and all consumer-owned electric utilities from taking on more than $1 billion in debt unless they get statewide voter approval? This question is asking whether you believe Mainers should have the right to vote on any proposal BEFORE governmental entities take on more than $1 billion in debt.   YES VOTE: SUPPORTS requiring statewide voter approval for more than $1 billion in debt. NO VOTE: OPPOSES requiring statewide voter approval for more than $1 billion in debt. Question 2: An Act to Prohibit Campaign Spending by Foreign Governments and Promote an Anticorruption Amendment to the United States Constitution. Do you want to ban foreign governments and entities that they own, control, or influence from making campaign contributions or financing communications for or against candidates or ballot questions? This reform was previously vetoed by Governor Mills and would ban foreign entities spending money on referendums. In her veto letter, Governor Mills cited concerns with the overly broad language that may impact free speech. YES VOTE: SUPPORTS the ban on foreign contributions. NO VOTE: OPPOSES the ban on foreign contributions.   Question 3: An Act to Create the Pine Tree Power Company, a Nonprofit, Customer-owned Utility. Do you want to create a new power company governed by an elected board to acquire and operate existing for-profit electricity transmission and distribution facilities in Maine? The question asks Maine voters whether they want to allow the government to seize CMP and Versant which are private companies, not currently for sale, by eminent domain. This proposal is estimated to cost ratepayers approximately $13.5 billion. YES VOTE: SUPPORTS the government takeover of CMP & Versant. NO VOTE: OPPOSES the government takeover of CMP & Versant. Question 4: An Act Regarding Automotive Right to Repair. Do you want to require vehicle manufacturers to standardize on-board diagnostic systems and provide remote access to those systems and mechanical data to owners and independent repair facilities?   This question would mandate that car manufacturers share their proprietary information with independent car shops.   YES VOTE: SUPPORTS requiring dealers to provide access to independent repair facilities. NO VOTE: OPPOSES requiring dealers to provide access to independent repair facilities. QUESTIONS 5 – 8: CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS   QUESTION 5: RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine Regarding the Timing of Judicial Review of the Determination of the Validity of Written Petitions. Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to change the time for judicial review of the validity of written petitions from within 100 days from the date of filing to within 100 business days from the date of filing of a written petition in the office of the Secretary of State, with an exception for petitions filed within 30 calendar days before or after a general election?   This question gives the Secretary of State more time, in certain circumstances, to process signatures for a referendum campaign. Currently, the Secretary of State has 100 calendar days to review the signatures from the day the referendum petitions were submitted. These changes would extend the deadline to 100 days after the 30th calendar day following a general election if the petitions were submitted to the Secretary of State 30 days before or after a general election.   YES VOTE: SUPPORTS the change to extend the deadline in limited circumstances. NO VOTE: OPPOSES the change to extend the deadline in limited circumstances. QUESTION 6: RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Require All Provisions in the Constitution to Be Included in the Official Printing. Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to require that all the provisions of the Constitution be included in the official printed copies of the Constitution prepared by the Secretary of State?   This question asks whether voters want to require the printing of Maine’s Indian Treaty Obligations in the official printed copies of the Maine Constitution. The text of the Maine Indian Treaty Obligations is currently valid, this simply deals with printing the obligations.   YES VOTE: SUPPORTS requiring all provisions of the Constitution be printed. NO VOTE: OPPOSES requiring all provisions of the Constitution to be printed. QUESTION 7: RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Align the Proceedings for Circulating Written Petitions for People’s Vetoes and Direct Initiatives with Federal Law. Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to remove a provision requiring a circulator of a citizen’s initiative or people’s veto petition to be a resident of Maine and a registered voter in Maine, requirements that have been ruled unconstitutional in federal court?   This question asks Maine voters to remove the requirement that an individual circulate a petition for a citizen’s initiative or people’s veto to be a resident of Maine and a registered voter in Maine. The requirement that circulators be Maine residents and voters has been deemed unconstitutional in federal courts.   YES VOTE: SUPPORTS removing the requirement to comply with federal law. NO VOTE: OPPOSES removing the requirement to comply with federal law. QUESTION 8: RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Allow Persons Under Guardianship for Mental Illness to Be Electors. Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to remove a provision prohibiting a person under guardianship for reasons of mental illness from voting for Governor, Senators, and Representatives, which the United States District Court for the District of Maine found violates the United States Constitution and federal law?   This question asks Maine voters to remove the prohibition on voting for individuals that have a guardian for reasons of mental illness. In 2001, a federal Court struck down this prohibition stating that it violated the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the United States Constitution. This question would bring the law into compliance with that ruling.   YES VOTE: SUPPORTS allowing those under guardianship for reasons of mental illness to vote. NO VOTE: OPPOSES allowing those under guardianship for reasons of mental illness to vote. This guide is not intended to influence the outcome of any election.