Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0144
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: FLOOD, BICKFORD, HINCK, JOHNSON, VAN WIE, HAMPER, PRESCOTT

Legislative Document 
No. 144 
H.P.123 
House of Representatives, January 15, 2009 
RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of 
Maine To Reduce the Size of the Legislature 
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative FLOOD of Winthrop. 
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MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Cosponsored by Representatives: BICKFORD of Auburn, HINCK of Portland, JOHNSON of 
Greenville, VAN WIE of New Gloucester and Representatives: HAMPER of Oxford, 
PRESCOTT of Topsham. 
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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, §2 is amended to read: 
Section 2. Number of Representatives; biennial terms; division of the State 
into districts for House of Representatives. The House of Representatives shall 
consist of 151 members, except that, for the Legislature that convenes in 2013 and 
thereafter, the House of Representatives shall consist· of 115 members, to be elected 
by the qualified electors, and hold their office 2 years from the day next preceding the 
first Wednesday in December following the general election. The Legislature which 
convenes in ~ 
2011 and every 10th year thereafter shall cause the State to be 
divided into districts for the choice of one Representative for each district. The 
number of Representatives shall 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 coinc,ide with the 
Federal Decennial Census, to determine a mean popUlation figure for each 
. Representative District. Each Representative District shall be fonned of contiguous 
and compact territory and shall 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 shall be drawn within· municipaJ boundaries. 
Any population 
remainder within the municipality shall be included in a district with contiguous 
territory and shall be kept intact. 
Constitution, Art. IV, Pt. Second, §1 is amended to read: 
Section L. Number of Senators. The Senat.e shall consist of an odd number of 
Senators, not' less than 31 nor more than 35, except that, for the Legislature that 
convenes in 2013 and thereafter, the Senate shall consist of an odd number of 
Senators, not less than 27 nor more than 31, elected at the same time and for the same 
tenn as Representatives by the qualified electors of the districts into which the State 
shall be from time to time divided. 
. 
. Constitution, Art. IV, Pt. Second, §2, first ~ is amended to read: 
Section 2. 
Submission of reapportionment plan to Secretary of Senate; 
Legislature's action on commission's plan; division of State into Senatorial 
Districts; division by Supreme. Judidal Court. . The Legislature which shall. 
convene in the year'~ 2011 anq every 10th year thereafter shall cause the State to . 
be divided into districts for the choice of a Senator from each district, using th~ same. 
method as provided in Article N, Part First, Section 2 for apportioninent of 
Representative Districts. 
; and be it further 
Constitutional referendum procedure; form of question; effective 
date. Resolved: That the municipal officers of this State shall notify the inhabitants 
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of their respective cities, towns and plantations to meet, in the manner prescribed by 
law for holding a statewide election, at a statewide election held in the month of 
November 2010 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 115 members and to reduce the 
size of the Senate from no more than 35 members to no more than 31 members, 
effective in the year 2013?" 
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. 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 proposes a constitutional amendment to reduce the size of the 
House of Representatives from 151 members to 115 members and the size of the 
Senate from no more than 35 members to no more than 31 members. Under the 
resolution, the proposal would be presented to the voters for their approval in 
November 2010, and after voter approval the Legislature that convenes in 2011 
would submit a reapportionment plan to implement the reduction in the size of the 
Legislature. The reduction in the size of each legislative body takes effect in 2013.