Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1462
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: CARPENTER, HARNETT, KEIM, BAILEY

Legislative Document
No. 1462
S.P. 447
In Senate, April 2, 2019
RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of 
Maine To Provide 4-year Terms for Senators and To Set Term 
Limits for Legislators
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator CARPENTER of Aroostook.
Cosponsored by Representative HARNETT of Gardiner and
Senator: KEIM of Oxford, Representative: BAILEY of Saco.
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 voting.  The election of Senators 
and Representatives shall be on the Tuesday following the first Monday of November 
biennially forever and the election of, except as provided in this section.  Beginning with 
the general election held in 2022, the election of Senators and the Governor shall be on 
the Tuesday following the first Monday of November every 4 years.  The Legislature 
under proper enactment shall authorize and provide for voting by citizens of the State 
absent therefrom in the Armed Forces of the United States or of this State and for voting 
by other citizens absent or physically incapacitated for reasons deemed sufficient.
Constitution, Art. IV, Pt. First, §2 is amended to read:
Section 2.  Number of Representatives; biennial 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 
years from the day next preceding the first Wednesday in December following the 
general election.  Beginning in 2022, a person may not serve more than 6 consecutive 
terms as a member of the House of Representatives.  The Legislature which convenes in 
2013, and also the Legislature which convenes in 2021 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.
Constitution, Art. IV, Pt. Second, §§1 and 5 are amended to read:
Section 1.  Number of Senators; terms.  The Senate shall consist of an odd 
number of Senators, not less than 31 nor more than 35, elected at the same time and for 
the same term as Representatives by the qualified electors of the districts into which the 
State shall be from time to time divided except that, beginning with the general election 
held in 2022, Senators are elected as provided in Article II, Section 4.  Beginning in 2022, 
a person may not serve more than 3 consecutive terms as a member of the Senate.
Section 5.  Determination of Senators elected; procedure for filling 
vacancies.  The Senate shall, on said first Wednesday of December, biennially until the 
general election held in 2022 and quadrennially thereafter determine who is elected by a 
plurality of votes to be Senator in each district.  All vacancies in the Senate arising from 
death, resignation, removal from the State or like causes, and also vacancies, if any, 
which may occur because of the failure of any district to elect by a plurality of votes the 
Senator to which said district shall be entitled shall be filled by an immediate election in 
the unrepresented district.  The Governor shall issue a proclamation therefor and therein 
fix the time of such election.
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 change the term of 
office for State Senators from 2 years to 4 years and change the number 
of consecutive years members of the State Senate and House of 
Representatives may serve from 8 years to 12 years?"
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 change the term of 
office for State Senators from 2 years to 4 years and change the number of consecutive 
years members of the State Senate and House of Representatives may serve from 8 years 
to 12 years.