Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 0078
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: DAVIS, BLAIS, WOODCOCK

12lst MAINE LEGISLATURE 
Legislative Document 
No. 78 
S.P.30 
In Senate, January 21,2003 
RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of 
Maine to Provide for the Direct Election of the Secretary of State 
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Senator DAVIS of Piscataquis. 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Cosponsored by Senators: BLAIS of Kennebec, WOODCOCK of Franklin. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Constitutional amendment. 
Resolved: 
Two 
thirds 
of 
each 
branch 
of 
the 
Legislature 
concurring, 
that 
the 
following 
amendment to the Constitution of Maine be proposed: 
Constitution, Art. V, Part Second, §§I and I-A are amended to 
read: 
Section 1. 
Election. 
The Secretary of State sRa±± must be 
chosen 
BieBBially-~--tRe-~-~~--se6sieB-~--~Re-~i~1~~~,--9y 
~eiBt-~l~~--e~-~~-SeBateFs-~-ReFFeseBtatiyes-~~-eeByeB~ieH 
every 4 years by popular election on the same date and in the 
Same manner as provided by this Constitution for the election of 
Governor. 
Section l-A. 
Succession to the office of Secretary of 
State. 
If a vacancy occurs in the office of the Secretary of 
State, the first deputy secretary of state shall act as the 
Secretary of State QBtil-~-~~~~~~-State-~~-~l~~-~y-tae 
be~i61atQFe-~~~~~-eaFFeBt-~e~~~en-~~--iR-6e66ieB7-~-~~-tae 
BeHt--i"-eg.u-J:..a.r--eF--spe-&i-a-l--sessieB for the remainder of the term. 
If the vacancy occurs more 
than 
days before the primary 
election for nominating candidates to be voted for at the next 
biennial election, the vacancy must be filled by the first deputy 
secretary of state until the first Wednesday after the first 
Tuesday in January following the biennial election. 
At 
the 
biennial election, a Secretary of State must be elected to fill 
the unexpired term created by the vacancy. 
; 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 provide 
that the Secretary of State be elected by the people every 4 
years in the same manner as the Governor is elected?" 
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 
Page l-LR0098 (1) 
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 provides for direct popular election and for 
filling vacancies in the office of the Secretary of State in the 
same manner as provided for the election of the Governor.