Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 0310
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: RICHARDSON, MITCHELL, DAVIS, BLISS, BRUNO, FLETCHER, MILLS, GILMAN, WOODCOCK

Legislative Document 
No. 310 
H.P.253 
House of Representatives, January 28,2003 
RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of 
Maine to Reduce the Size of the Legislature Beginning in 2005 
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative RICHARDSON of Skowhegan. 
/J'l~ /J7.1T/d£~ 
Mll.LICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Cosponsored by Senator MITCHELL of Penobscot, Senator DAVIS of Piscataquis and 
Representatives: BLISS of South Portland, BRUNO of Raymond, FLETCHER of Winslow, 
McGOW AN of Pittsfield, McLAUGHLIN of Cape Elizabeth, MILLS of Cornville, Senators: 
GILMAN of Cumberland, WOODCOCK of Franklin. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Constitutional amendment. 
Resolved: 
Two 
thirds 
branch 
of 
the 
Legislature 
concurring, 
that 
the 
amendments to the Constitution of Maine be proposed: 
Constitution, Art. IV, Part First, §2 is amended to read: 
of 
each 
following 
Section 
2. 
Number 
of 
Representatives; 
biennial 
terms; 
division 
of 
the 
State 
into 
districts 
for 
House 
of 
Representatives. 
The House of Representatives shall consist of 
members, except that, for the Legislature that convenes in 
2005 and thereafter, the House of Representatives shall consist 
of 99 members, to be elected by the qualified electors, and hold 
their office 
years 
from 
the 
day next preceding the first 
Wednesday 
in 
December 
following 
the 
general 
election. 
The 
Legislature which convenes in 
~98~ ~03 and every 10th year 
thereafter shall cause the State to be divided into districts for 
the choice of one Representative for each district, using the 
same method as provided in Article IV, Part Second, Section 2 for 
apportionment 
of 
Senatorial 
Districts, 
except 
that 
each 
Senatorial 
District 
must 
be 
divided 
into 
Representative 
Di str icts • 
'±'he-~--e-~- -R~-e-5-art.-a.t,i ..... -es- -sha-l-l--ee--d-.Hz.-i-ded--iat:e 
t:he-~--9~-,i~~~~-e-~-~~€-~~~-€K€d~£4¥e-~--€e~ei~ae~s 
aet:-~~~~~~d~~€4-~~~-&&-t:he-d~~-e-5~-~~~-~&&ial--beasHs 
e~--a--S~a~-~-~~~~-~~~-by--~~€--be~46da~~te--t:e 
eeiaeiee-~~~~~-~eeera~-~~~-~r-t:e-~~~~~-meaa 
pepH~at:iea--~~~~--€e~--~--Rep~eseat:at:ive--~~~~~~.----Eash 
Rep~eseat:a1:ive-~46~t4€~-£~~dd-~~~~~~~-e-&~~~~&-aae-eempae~ 
t:e~~it:e~y-~-&~l-l--€te66-~1~~~~~~-&~seivi&i9a-d4£€£-~~-±eas~ 
aHffise~-~-~~-aeeessary-~~~~l-~-as-~~d~-~-p~aet:ieas±e 
e~Ha±~y--pep~da~ee--~~~~~~~£~---~--~~--~~~l-a~B&&--e~--a 
mHaieipa±it:y-~-it-~-i~-~~-met€--~~&-~-Gi&~Fie~r-~~--wne1e 
eist:~iet:s--6Badd--~-~~-~it~~-~~&~i~al---se~aeaFie&r---ABy 
pep~~a1:iea-temaiReet-w~~h~£-~~~~~l~~~~l-l--~-iael~eee-iB 
a-eis1:Fie1:-wi~h-eea~i~~eH6-1:eFFi1:eFy-aae-shall-se-*ep1:-ia1:ae1:T 
Constitution, Art. IV, Part Second, §1 is amended to read: 
Section 1. 
Number of Senators. 
The Senate shall consist of 
an odd number of Senators, not less than 31 nor more than 35, 
except that, 
for 
the Legislature that convenes 
in 
2005 
and 
thereafter, the Senate shall consist of 33 members, elected at 
the same time and for the same term as Representatives by the 
qualified electors of the districts into which the State shall be 
from time to time divided. 
Constitution, Art. IV, Part Second, §2, first, is amended to read: 
Section 2. Submission of reapportionment plan to Secretary 
of Senate; Leqislature·s action on commission·s plan; division of 
Page l-LR0523(1) 
State into Senatorial Districts; division by Supreme Judicial 
Court. 
The Legislature which shall convene in the year ±98~ 2003 
and every 10th year thereafter shall cause the State to 
be 
divided into districts for the choice of a 
Senator from each 
districtT-~~~~~-&affie-ffi€~~e4-~-~~~1GeG-~R-~~~~~~-~~r-PaFE 
~iF6~T-~~~-6-~~-~~~~~~-e~-~~~-~-gi6~Fie~6. 
The 
number 
of Senators 
must 
be 
divided into 
the 
number 
of 
inhabitants of the State, exclusive of foreigners not naturalized 
according to the latest Federal Decennial Census 
or 
a 
State 
Census previously ordered by the Legislature to coincide with the 
Federal Decennial Census, to determine a mean population figure 
for each Senatorial District. 
Each Senatorial District must be 
formed 
of 
contiguous 
and 
compact 
territory 
and 
must 
cross 
political subdivision lines the least number of times necessary 
to 
establish 
as 
nearly 
as 
practicable 
equally 
populated 
districts. 
Whenever the population of a municipality entitles it 
to more than one district, all whole districts must be drawn 
within municipal boundaries. 
Any population remainder within the 
municipality must 
be 
included in 
a 
district with contiguous 
territory and must be kept intact. 
: and be it further 
Constitutional referendum procedure; form of question; effective 
date. Resolved: 
That the municipal officers of this State shall 
notify the inhabitants of their respective cities, 
towns 
and 
plantations to meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding 
a 
statewide election, at a statewide election, on the Tuesday 
following the first Monday of November following the passage of 
this resolution, to vote upon the ratification of the amendment 
proposed in this resolution by voting upon the following question: 
"Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to reduce 
the size of the House of Representatives from 151 members to 
members and to limit the size of the Senate from no more 
than 35 members to 33 members, effective in the year 2005?" 
The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall 
vote by ballot on this question and designate their choice by a 
cross or check mark placed within the corresponding square below 
the word "Yes" or "No." 
The ballots must be received, sorted, 
counted and declared in open ward, town and plantation meetings 
and returns made to the Secretary of State in the same manner as 
votes for members of the Legislature. 
The Governor shall review 
the returns and, if it appears that a majority of the legal votes 
are cast in favor of the amendment, the Governor shall proclaim 
that fact without delay and the amendment becomes part of the 
Constitution on the date of the proclamation: and be it further 
Secretary of State shall prepare ballots. Resolved: 
That 
the 
Secretary of State shall prepare and furnish to each city, town 
and plantation all ballots, returns and copies of this resolution 
necessary to carry out the purpose of this referendum. 
SUMMARY 
This 
resolution 
proposes 
a 
constitutional 
amendment 
to 
reduce the size of the House of Representatives from 151 members 
to 99 members and the size of the Senate from no more than 35 
members to 33 members. 
The redistricting will be done in 2004 
during the Second Regular Session of the 121st Legislature and 
the reduction in the size of each legislative body takes effect 
in 2005.