Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 1912
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: CAIN, BRYANT, CUMMINGS, PINGREE, BARTLETT

Legislative Document 
No. 1912 
H.P.1353 
House of Representatives, January 4, 2006 
RESOLUTION, Amending the Constitution of Maine To Lower the 
Age of Eligibility for Election to the House of Representatives 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203. 
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative CAIN of Orono. 
7Jl~ 
frl.1T/d£~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Cosponsored by Representatives: BRYANT of Windham, CUMMINGS of Portland, 
McFADDEN of Dennysville, PINGREE of North Haven, Senator: BARTLETT of 
Cumberland. 
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. IV, Pt. First, §4 is amended to read: 
Section 
4. 
Qualifications; 
residency 
requirement. 
No 
person shall be a member of the House of Representatives, unless 
the person shall, at the commencement of the period for which the 
person is elected, have been 5 years a citizen of the United 
States, have arr i ved at the age of ;n .1.8. years, have been a 
resident in this State one year; 
and for the 
months next 
preceding the time of this person I s election shall have been, 
and, during the period for which elected, shall continue to be a 
resident in the district which that person represents. 
No person may be a candidate for election as a member·of the 
House of Representatives unless, at the time of the nomination 
for placement on a primary, general or special election ballot, 
that person is a resident in the district which the candidate 
seeks to represent. 
; 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 general election, at the next general election in the month of 
November following 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 decrease 
from 21 years of age to 18 years of age the minimum age for 
election to the Maine House of Representatives?" 
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 of Maine 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 purposes of this referendum. 
SUMMARY 
This resolution provides for amending the Constitution of 
Maine to decrease from 21 years of age to 18 years of age the 
minimum age for election to the Maine House of Representatives.