Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1032
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: ARDELL, BALDACCI, ARATA, BLIER, FAULKINGHAM, LANDRY, MORRIS, PERRY, KEIM, STEWART

Legislative Document
No. 1032
H.P. 668
House of Representatives, March 7, 2023
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 ARDELL of Monticello.
Cosponsored by Senator BALDACCI of Penobscot and
Representatives: ARATA of New Gloucester, BLIER of Buxton, FAULKINGHAM of Winter 
Harbor, LANDRY of Farmington, MORRIS of Turner, PERRY of Bangor, Senators: KEIM of 
Oxford, STEWART 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, §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.