Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1631
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: SCHNECK, MIRAMANT, ALLEY, DUNPHY, EVANGELOS, GIDEON, HEPLER, HICKMAN, MOONEN, JACKSON

Legislative Document
No. 1631
H.P. 1174
House of Representatives, April 25, 2019
RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of 
Maine Concerning Early Voting, Voting by Absentee Ballot and 
Voting by Mail
Submitted by the Secretary of State pursuant to Joint Rule 204.
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative SCHNECK of Bangor.
Cosponsored by Senator MIRAMANT of Knox and
Representatives: ALLEY of Beals, DUNPHY of Old Town, EVANGELOS of Friendship, 
Speaker GIDEON of Freeport, HEPLER of Woolwich, HICKMAN of Winthrop, MOONEN of 
Portland, Senator: President JACKSON 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. 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 may authorize a process of early voting that allows voting to occur in 
the same manner as on election day 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.  The Legislature also may by 
proper enactment authorize voting by mail for all citizens of the State as an alternative to 
voting by absentee ballot.
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 authorize the 
Legislature to adopt a process of early voting and voting by mail?"
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 allow the Legislature 
to authorize a process to allow voting to occur in the same manner as on election day 
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.  Additionally, this resolution 
allows the Legislature to authorize a process of voting by mail for all citizens of the State 
as an alternative to voting by absentee ballot.