Resolve, Regarding Increasing the Number of Kennebec County
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1556
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: COLLINS

Legislative Document
No. 1556
H.P. 1014
House of Representatives, April 10, 2025
Resolve, Regarding Increasing the Number of Kennebec County 
Commissioners
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative COLLINS of Sidney.
Sec. 1.  Apportionment commission. Resolved:  That the Kennebec County 
commissioners may establish an apportionment commission, referred to in this resolve as 
"the commission," in accordance with the procedure established in the Constitution of 
Maine, Article IV, Part Third, Section 1-A to apportion the Kennebec County 
commissioner districts to increase the number of county commissioner districts in 
Kennebec County.  If the Kennebec County commissioners establish an apportionment 
commission, the commission, by October 1, 2026, shall develop a plan with maps to 
increase the number of county commissioner districts from 3 to 5.  The plan must include 
the initial terms of office for each county commissioner district.  The plan to increase the 
number of districts must designate 2 commissioners to have 2-year initial terms and 3 
commissioners to have 4-year initial terms.
Sec. 2.  County referendum. Resolved:  That the Kennebec County 
commissioners may submit the plan developed pursuant to section 1 to the voters of 
Kennebec County at the statewide election held in November 2026.  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 administrator shall perform the duties of the 
Secretary of State prescribed by Title 21-A in the same manner as county commissioners 
and county administrators 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 resolve must 
be reduced to the following question:
"Do you favor increasing the number of Kennebec County commissioner 
districts from 3 to 5 and staggering the terms of the 5 county 
commissioners beginning in 2028?"
The voters shall indicate their opinion on this question by a cross or check mark placed 
against the word "Yes" or "No."  The question must be approved by a majority of the legal 
voters casting ballots at the referendum election.
The results of the referendum must be declared by the county commissioners or county 
administrator and due certificate filed with the Secretary of State within 10 days after the 
date of the election.
Sec. 3.  Submit to Legislature. Resolved:  That, if the referendum question 
submitted to the legal voters of Kennebec County in accordance with section 2 passes by 
majority vote, the plan developed in accordance with section 1 must be submitted by the 
commission to the Clerk of the House of Representatives no later than January 15, 2027 
for enactment by the 133rd Legislature in 2027.
Sec. 4.  Election of county commissioners. Resolved:  That the election of 
Kennebec County commissioners in the reapportioned districts approved pursuant to 
section 3 must take place at the statewide election held in November 2028.
SUMMARY
This resolve proposes to increase the number of commissioners for Kennebec County 
from 3 to 5. The resolve will put the question out to the voters of Kennebec County in 
November 2026.