Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0780
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: DOW

Legislative Document 
No. 780 
H.P. 587 
House of Representatives, March 1, 2011 
RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of 
Maine To Limit the Number of Terms Served in Total 
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative DOW of Waldoboro. 
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; terms; division of the State into 
districts for House of Representatives.  The House of Representatives shall consist 
of 151 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.  
A person may not serve more than 8 terms in total in the House of Representatives and 
the Senate.  The Legislature which convenes in 1983 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 coincide with the 
Federal Decennial Census, to determine a mean population figure for each Representative 
District.  Each Representative District shall be formed 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 municipal boundaries.  Any population remainder within the municipality shall be 
included in a district with contiguous territory and shall 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 held in the month 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 limit the number of terms of 
office for State Senators and members of the House of Representatives to no more 
than 8 terms in total?" 
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 to amend the Constitution of Maine to limit the number of 
terms of office for State Senators and members of the House of Representatives to 8 
terms in total.