Public Comments Being Accepted for Maine’s Referendum Guide

The Maine Department of the Secretary of State is accepting public comment submissions through the end of August that would appear in the annual Citizens’ Guide to the Referendum Election. 

The department publishes the Citizens’ Guide each fall before the Referendum Election. Any individual, corporation, political action committee or other organization may file public comments in support of, or in opposition to, a ballot measure for publication in the guide. The Secretary of State’s Division of Elections allows for up to six commentary submissions – three in support and three in opposition – on each referendum question.

This year, voters will decide on five citizens’ initiatives and one bond issue that will appear on the Nov. 8 ballot:

• Question 1: An Act to Legalize Marijuana
• Question 2: An Act To Establish The Fund to Advance Public Kindergarten to Grade 12 Education
• Question 3: An Act To Require Background Checks for Gun Sales
• Question 4: An Act To Raise the Minimum Wage
• Question 5: An Act To Establish Ranked-choice Voting
• Question 6: An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue to Improve Highways, Bridges and Multimodal Facilities

The department says ballot measure public comments are limited to 300 words or less and must be accompanied by a completed application form and a $500 fee. Public comments must be submitted electronically and filed with the Secretary of State by the deadline of Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2016.

The Citizens’ Guide to the Referendum Election will be available on the Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions website before Election Day. Copies of the guide are also printed and distributed to public libraries throughout the state.

The application form, instructions and rules on the Citizens’ Guide to the Referendum Election public comment submission process can be found at the Secretary of State's Election site.