An Act To Increase the Number of Franklin County Commissioners
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 0621
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: LANDRY, SKOLFIELD, BLACK
Amends: 30-A MRSA §66-B

Legislative Document
No. 621
H.P. 457
House of Representatives, March 1, 2021
An Act To Increase the Number of Franklin County Commissioners
Received by the Clerk of the House on February 25, 2021.  Referred to the Committee on 
State and Local Government pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint 
Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative LANDRY of Farmington.
Cosponsored by Representative: SKOLFIELD of Weld, Senator: BLACK of Franklin.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  30-A MRSA §66-B, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 270, Pt. C, §2, is 
repealed.
Sec. 2.  30-A MRSA §66-B, sub-§4-A is enacted to read:
4-A.  Creation of Franklin County Commissioner Districts.  Franklin County is 
divided into the following districts.
A.  Until the first election held after the 2021 redistricting conducted in accordance 
with the Constitution of Maine, Article IX, Section 25, Franklin County is divided into 
districts.
(1)  Commissioner District Number 1, in the County of Franklin, consists of the 
minor civil divisions and unorganized territories of Carthage, Jay, South Franklin, 
Temple and Wilton.  The term of office of the commissioner from this district 
expires in 2022 and then in 2024.
(2)  Commissioner District Number 2, in the County of Franklin, consists of the 
minor civil divisions of Chesterville, Farmington and New Sharon. The term of 
office of the commissioner from this district expires in 2022 and then in 2024.
(3)  Commissioner District Number 3, in the County of Franklin, consists of the 
minor civil divisions and unorganized territories of Avon, Carrabassett Valley, 
Coplin, Dallas, East Central Franklin, Eustis, Industry, Kingfield, New Vineyard, 
North Franklin, Phillips, Rangeley, Rangeley Plantation, Sandy River, Strong, 
Weld, West Central Franklin and Wyman Township. The term of office of the 
commissioner from this district expires in 2024.
B.  For purposes of the reapportionment and redistricting conducted in accordance with 
the Constitution of Maine, Article IX, Section 25, Franklin County is divided into 5 
districts. The redistricting must reflect 5 commissioner districts for Franklin County 
and in addition must align as closely as practicable with the following.
(1)  Commissioner District Number 1, in the County of Franklin, consists of the 
minor civil divisions and unorganized territories of Temple and Wilton.  The term 
of office of the commissioner from this district expires in 2026 and every 4 years 
thereafter.
(2)  Commissioner District Number 2, in the County of Franklin, consists of 
Farmington.  The term of office of the commissioner from this district expires in 
2026 and every 4 years thereafter.
(3)  Commissioner District Number 3, in the County of Franklin, consists of the 
minor civil divisions and unorganized territories of Avon, Carthage, Coplin, Eustis, 
North Franklin, Phillips, Rangeley, Rangeley Plantation, Sandy River, South 
Franklin, Strong, Weld and West Central Franklin.  The term of office of the 
commissioner from this district expires in 2026 and every 4 years thereafter.
(4)  Commissioner District Number 4, in the County of Franklin, consists of the 
minor civil divisions and unorganized territories of Carrabassett Valley, Dallas, 
East Central Franklin, Industry, Kingfield, New Sharon, New Vineyard and 
Wyman Township. The term of office of the commissioner from this district 
expires in 2028 and every 4 years thereafter.
(5)  Commissioner District Number 5, in the County of Franklin, consists of the 
minor civil divisions of Chesterville and Jay.  The term of office of the 
commissioner from this district expires in 2028 and every 4 years thereafter.
Sec. 3.  Referendum; effective date.  This Act takes effect 90 days after its 
approval only for the purpose of its submission by the county commissioners of Franklin 
to the legal voters of the county.  The county commissioners of Franklin shall submit this 
Act to the legal voters of the county by ballot at the general election to be held in November 
2022.  The method of voting and the conduct of the referendum are governed by the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 21-A, and the county commissioners or county administrators shall 
perform the duties of the Secretary of State prescribed by Title 21-A in the same manner 
as the county commissioners are required to do in the case of a county bond referendum 
election held pursuant to Title 30-A, section 938.  The subject matter of this Act must be 
reduced to the following question:
"Do you favor increasing the number of Franklin County commissioner 
districts from 3 to 5 and staggering the terms of the 5 county 
commissioners following redistricting conducted pursuant to the 
Constitution of Maine in 2021?"
The voters shall indicate their opinion on this question by a cross or check mark placed 
against the word "Yes" or "No."  Before becoming effective, this Act must be approved by 
a majority of the legal voters casting ballots at the general election, and the total number of 
votes cast for and against the acceptance of this Act at the election must equal or exceed 
50% of the total number of votes cast in the county for Governor at the last gubernatorial 
election.
The result of a referendum must be declared by the county commissioners or county 
administrators and due certificate filed with the Secretary of State within 10 days after the 
date of the election.
This Act takes effect for all purposes upon approval of the referendum held in 
accordance with this section.
SUMMARY
This bill requires that, upon approval by the voters of Franklin County at referendum 
held in November 2022, after the redistricting of the county commissioner districts is done 
in 2021 pursuant to the Constitution of Maine, Franklin County must be divided into 5 
county commissioner districts.  The bill requires that the reapportionment for each of the 
new 5 districts reflects, as closely as practicable, the specified geographical composition of 
the district.