2023 Maine Revised Statutes › TITLE 30-A: MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTIES › Part 2: MUNICIPALITIES › Subpart 2: ORGANIZATION AND INTERLOCAL COOPERATION › Chapter 111: HOME RULE › 30-A §2105. Submission to voters

§2105. Submission to voters
The method of voting at municipal elections, when a question relating to a charter adoption, a charter revision, a charter modification or a charter amendment is involved, shall be in the manner prescribed for municipal elections under sections 2528 to 2532, even if the municipality has not accepted the provisions of section 2528.   [PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
1.  Charter revision or adoption.
Except as provided in paragraph A, in the case of a charter revision or a charter adoption, the question to be submitted to the voters shall be in substance as follows:
"Shall the municipality approve the (charter revision) (new charter) recommended by the charter commission?"
A. If the charter commission, in its final report under section 2103, subsection 5, recommends that the present charter continue in force with only minor modifications, those modifications may be submitted to the voters in as many separate questions as the commission finds practicable. The determination to submit the charter revision in separate questions under this paragraph and the number and content of these questions must be made by a majority of the charter commission.
(1) If a charter commission decides to submit the charter revision in separate questions under this paragraph, each question to be submitted to the voters shall be in substance as follows:
"Shall the municipality approve the charter modification recommended by the charter commission and reprinted (summarized) below?"
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
2.  Charter amendment.
In the case of a charter amendment the question to be submitted to the voters shall be in substance as follows:
"Shall the municipality approve the charter amendment reprinted (summarized) below?"
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
3.  Voter information.
Reports shall be made available and summaries prepared and made available as follows.
A. In the case of a charter revision or charter adoption, at least 2 weeks before the election, the municipal officers shall:
(1) Have the final report of the charter commission printed;
(2) Make copies of the report available to the voters in the clerk's office; and
(3) Post the report in the same manner that proposed ordinances are posted.   [PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
B. In the case of a charter amendment, at least 2 weeks before the election, the municipal officers shall:
(1) Have the proposed amendment and any summary of the amendment prepared under this section printed;
(2) Make copies available to the voters in the clerk's office; and
(3) Post the amendment and any summary of that amendment in the same manner that proposed ordinances are posted.   [PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
C. Any summary must fairly describe the content of the proposed amendment and may not contain information designed to promote or oppose the amendment.   [PL 1991, c. 622, Pt. X, §11 (AMD).]
[PL 1991, c. 622, Pt. X, §11 (AMD).]
4.  Effective date.
If a majority of the ballots cast on any question under subsection 1 or 2 favor acceptance, the new charter, charter revision, charter modification or charter amendment becomes effective as provided in this subsection, provided the total number of votes cast for and against the question equals or exceeds 30% of the total votes cast in the municipality at the last gubernatorial election.
A. Except as provided in subparagraph (1), new charters, charter revisions or charter modifications adopted by the voters take effect on the first day of the next succeeding municipal year.
(1) New charters, charter revisions or charter modifications take effect immediately for the purpose of conducting any elections required by the new provisions.   [PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
B. Charter amendments adopted by the voters take effect on the date determined by the municipal officers, but not later than the first day of the next municipal year.   [PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
[PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106 (NEW); PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD); PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10 (AMD).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1987, c. 737, §§A2,C106 (NEW). PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 104, §§C8,10 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 622, §X11 (AMD).