Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0530
Committee: Legal and Veterans Affairs
Sponsors: WHEELER, BOWMAN

Legislative Document 
No. 530 
H.P.375 
House of Representatives, February 12, 2009 
RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of 
Maine To Reduce the Number of Signatures Required and Prohibit 
Payment for Signatures in the Citizen's Initiative Process 
Reference to the Committee on Legal and Veterans Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
'I7l~ /J7. 7J7!LC~{ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative WHEELER of Kittery. (BY REQUEST) 
Cosponsored by Senator BOWMAN of York. 
Printed on recycled pnpcr 
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. Third, §18, sub-§2, as amended by CR 2005, c. 
2, is amended to read: 
... 
8. 
2. Referral to electors unless enacted by the Legislature without change; 
number of ,signatures necessary on direct initiative petitions; dating signatures 
on petitions; competing measures .. For any measure thus proposed by electors, the 
number of signatures shall not be less than +G% 3% of the total vote for Governor 
cast in the last gubernatorial election preceding the filing of such petition. 
A 
circulator of a direct initiative petition or a person who causes the circulation of a 
direct initiative petition may not receive . payment or compensation for a person's 
signature on the initiative or refen~ndun1 petition. 'The date each signature was made 
shall be written next to the signature on the petition. A signature is not valid if it is 
dated more than one year prior to the date that the petition was filed in the office of. 
the Secretary of State. The measure thus proposed, unless enacted without change by 
the Legislature at the session at which it is presented, shall be submitted to the 
electors together with any amended form, substitute, or recommendation of the 
Legislature, and in such manner that the people can choose between the competing 
measures or reJect both. When there are competing bills and neither receives a 
maj ority of the votes given for or against both, the one rec;eiving the most votes shall 
at the next statewide election to be held not less than 60 pays after the first vote 
thereon be submitted by itself if it receives more than 1/3 of the votes given for and 
against both. If the measure initiated is enacted by the Legislature without change, it 
shall not go to a referendum vote unless in pursuance of a demand made in 
accordance with the preceding section. The Legislature may order a special election 
on any measure that is subject to a vote of the people. 
; 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 held in the month of 
November following the passage of this resolution, to vote upon the ratification of the 
amendmerit prop'osed in this resolution by voting upon the following question: 
"Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to reduce the number of 
signatures necessary on direct initiative petitions from 10% to 3% of the total 
vote cast in the previous gubernatorial election, and prohibiting circulators of' 
direct initiative petitions from receiving payment' or corripensation for the 
. 39 
collection of signatures?" 
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 
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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 cany out the purposes of this referendum. 
SUMMARY 
This resolution proposes to amend the Constitution of Maine to reduce the 
number of required signatures on a direct initiative petition from 10% to 3% of the 
total vote cast in the previous gubernatorial election. In addition, this resolution 
prohibits circulators of direct initiative petitions from receiving payment or 
compensation for the collection of signatures.