Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0156
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: SHAW, LANGLEY, CHIPMAN, EVES, THERIAULT, ALFOND, COLLINS, DUTREMBLE, HILL

Legislative Document 
No. 156 
H.P. 131 
House of Representatives, January 31, 2013 
RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of 
Maine Concerning Early Voting and Voting by Absentee Ballot 
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative SHAW of Standish. 
Cosponsored by Senator LANGLEY of Hancock and 
Representatives: CHIPMAN of Portland, Speaker EVES of North Berwick, THERIAULT of 
Madawaska, Senators: President ALFOND of Cumberland, COLLINS of York, DUTREMBLE 
of York, HILL of York. 
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. II, §4 is amended to read: 
Section 4.  Time of state election; absentee ballot; early voting.  The 
election of Senators and Representatives shall be on the Tuesday following the first 
Monday of November biennially forever and the election of Governor shall be on the 
Tuesday following the first Monday of November every 4 years.  The Legislature by 
proper enactment shall authorize a process to allow a qualified voter to vote at a polling 
place in or outside the city, town or plantation where that voter's residence has been 
established during a period immediately preceding an election.  The Legislature under by 
proper enactment shall authorize and provide for voting by absentee ballot by citizens of 
the State absent therefrom in the Armed Forces of the United States or of this State and 
for voting by absentee ballot by other citizens absent or physically incapacitated for 
reasons deemed sufficient. 
; 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 direct the Legislature to 
authorize a process to allow a qualified voter to vote at a polling place in or outside 
the city, town or plantation where that voter's residence has been established during a 
period immediately preceding an election and to authorize voting by absentee ballot 
for any sufficient reason?" 
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 require the 
Legislature to authorize a process to allow a qualified voter to vote at a polling place in or 
outside of the city, town or plantation where that voter's residence has been established 
during a period immediately preceding an election. It also allows for voting by absentee 
ballot by citizens for reasons deemed sufficient without requiring in the Constitution of 
Maine that the citizens be absent or physically incapacitated.