Wording of Maine's November Ballot Questions Finalized

Maine's Secretary of State has finalized the wording of the five citizens' initiative questions that will appear on Maine’s November ballot.

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The ballot questions include background checks for gun sales, ranked-choice voting, raising the minimum wage, a tax to advance public education and a referendum to legalize and tax the recreational use of marijuana in Maine.

Below is the title of each initiative and the final wording for how it will appear on Maine's November 8 ballot:

**An Act To Establish Ranked-Choice Voting.** "Do you want to allow voters to rank their choices of candidates in elections for U.S. Senate, Congress, Governor, State Senate, and State Representative, and to have ballots counted at the state level in multiple rounds in which last-place candidates are eliminated until a candidate wins by majority?"

**An Act To Establish The Fund to Advance Public Kindergarten to Grade 12 Education.** "Do you want to add a 3% tax on individual Maine taxable income above $200,000 to create a state fund that would provide direct support for student learning in kindergarten through 12th grade public education?"

**An Act To Legalize Marijuana.** "Do you want to allow the possession and use of marijuana under state law by persons who are at least 21 years of age, and allow the cultivation, manufacture, distribution, testing, and sale of marijuana and marijuana products subject to state regulation, taxation and local ordinance?"

**An Act to Raise the Minimum Wage.** "Do you want to raise the minimum hourly wage of $7.50 to $9 in 2017, with annual $1 increases up to $12 in 2020, and annual cost-of-living increases thereafter; and do you want to raise the direct wage for service workers who receive tips from half the minimum wage to $5 in 2017, with annual $1 increases until it reaches the adjusted minimum wage?"

**An Act to Require Background Checks for Gun Sales.** "Do you want to require background checks prior to the sale or transfer of firearms between individuals not licensed as firearms dealers, with failure to do so punishable by law, and with some exceptions for family members, hunting, self-defense, lawful competitions, and shooting range activity?"

The full text of each proposed bill is available for viewing on the Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions' Citizens' Initiatives webpage

Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap says the order of these ballot questions will be determined by a random drawing on Monday, June 27 at 11 a.m. This drawing is open to the public. It will take place in the lobby of the Maine State Archives in the Cultural Building, 230 State Street in Augusta.

For more information about the November 2016 elections, visit the Maine Secretary of State webpage

Information on voter registration and locating your polling place can also be found HERE.