Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0186
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: FAULKINGHAM, GUERIN, DILLINGHAM, FECTEAU, HANLEY, O'CONNOR, REED, STETKIS, STEWART, STROM

Legislative Document
No. 186
H.P. 149
House of Representatives, January 17, 2019
RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of 
Maine To Specify the Qualifications of Electors
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative FAULKINGHAM of Winter Harbor.
Cosponsored by Senator GUERIN of Penobscot and
Representatives: DILLINGHAM of Oxford, FECTEAU of Augusta, HANLEY of Pittston, 
O'CONNOR of Berwick, REED of Carmel, STETKIS of Canaan, STEWART of Presque Isle, 
STROM of Pittsfield.
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, §1 is amended to read:
Section 1.  Qualifications of electors; written ballot; military servicemen; 
students.  Only a citizen of the United States may vote in a state, county or municipal or 
other local election.  Every citizen of the United States of the age of 18 years and 
upwards, excepting persons under guardianship for reasons of mental illness, having his 
or her residence established in this State, shall be an elector for Governor, Senators and 
Representatives, and county, local or municipal office in the city, town or plantation 
where his or her residence has been established, if he or she continues to reside in this 
State; and the elections shall be by written ballot.  But persons in the military, naval or 
marine service of the United States, or this State, shall not be considered as having 
obtained such established residence by being stationed in any garrison, barrack or 
military place, in any city, town or plantation; nor shall the residence of a student at any 
seminary of learning entitle the student to the right of suffrage in the city, town or 
plantation where such seminary is established.  No person, however, shall be deemed to 
have lost residence by reason of the person's absence from the state in the military service 
of the United States, or of this State.
Indians.  Every Indian, residing on tribal reservations and otherwise qualified, shall 
be an elector in all county, state and national elections.
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 permit only 
citizens of the United States to vote in state, county or municipal or other 
local elections?"
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.
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 specify that only a 
person who is a citizen of the United States may vote in a state, county or municipal or 
other local election.