Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0796
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: STEWART, TURNER, LANGLEY, HANINGTON, MARTIN, PARRY, PIERCE, SIROCKI, WARD, CARPENTER

Legislative Document
No. 796
H.P. 576
House of Representatives, March 2, 2017
RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of 
Maine Regarding Referendum Questions for Statewide Ballots
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative STEWART of Presque Isle.
Cosponsored by Representative TURNER of Burlington, Senator LANGLEY of Hancock and
Representatives: HANINGTON of Lincoln, MARTIN of Eagle Lake, McCREA of Fort 
Fairfield, PARRY of Arundel, PIERCE of Dresden, SIROCKI of Scarborough, WARD of 
Dedham, Senator: CARPENTER of Aroostook.
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 is amended to read: 
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 10% of the total vote for Governor cast in each county 
in the last gubernatorial election preceding the filing of such petition.  Each signature of 
the number so required for a county must be that of a person registered to vote in the 
county.  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 majority of the votes given for or against both, the one receiving the 
most votes shall at the next statewide election to be held not less than 60 days 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 amendment 
proposed in this resolution by voting upon the following question: 
"Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to require on direct 
initiative petitions the same minimum percentage of signatures to be 
collected from each county and to require of those signatures that each 
must be that of a person registered to vote in that county?" 
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 total 
number of signatures required for a direct initiative of legislation to be not less than 10% 
of the total vote for Governor cast in each county in the last gubernatorial election.  It also 
requires each of the signatures from a county to be that of a person registered to vote in 
that county.