Maine 2023 ballot measures
| 2023 U.S. state ballot measures | |
|---|---|
2024 »
« 2022
| |
 | |
| Overview | |
| Scorecard | |
| Tuesday Count | |
| Deadlines | |
| Requirements | |
| Lawsuits | |
| Readability | |
| Voter guides | |
| Election results | |
| Campaigns | |
| Polls | |
| Media editorials | |
| Filed initiatives | |
| Finances | |
| Contributions | |
| Signature costs | |
| Ballot Measure Monthly | |
| Signature requirements | |
Have you subscribed yet?
Join the hundreds of thousands of readers trusting Ballotpedia to keep them up to date with the latest political news. Sign up for the Daily Brew.
| |
In Maine, eight statewide ballot measure, including four citizen-initiated ballot measures, were certified for the ballot for the election on November 7, 2023.
Want to learn more about ballot measures in other states in 2023?
- You can find a list of 2023's certified statewide ballot measures here.
- You can find a list of 2023's certified local ballot measures here.
- Here is a list of bills and resolutions passed passed in 2023 to change the laws governing ballot measures.
On the ballot
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | Direct dem, Energy, and Budgets | Require voter approval for certain state entities, municipal electric districts, electrification cooperatives, or consumer-owned transmission utilities to incur an outstanding debt that exceeds $1 billion |
|
260,670 (65%) |
137,478 (35%) |
|
| Question 2 | Campaign finance and Elections | Prohibit election spending by foreign governments, including entities with partial (5% or more) foreign government ownership or control |
|
348,781 (86%) |
55,226 (14%) |
|
| Question 3 | Admin of gov't, Energy, and Utilities | Create the Pine Tree Power Company, an electric transmission and distribution utility governed by an elected board |
|
122,961 (30%) |
283,401 (70%) |
|
| Question 4 | Business reg and Transportation | Allow motor vehicle owners and independent repair facilities to have access to the vehicle on-board diagnostic systems |
|
341,574 (84%) |
63,208 (16%) |
|
| Question 5 | Direct dem | Change the judicial review period from within 100 days of a petition being filed to within 100 business days from the deadline for filing a petition |
|
227,602 (58%) |
166,876 (42%) |
|
| Question 6 | Con language and American Indians | Repeals Article X, Section 7 of the Maine Constitution, which would provide for Section 1, Section 2, and Section 5, which concern American Indian provisions, to be included in any printed copies of the State Constitution |
|
289,818 (73%) |
107,466 (27%) |
|
| Question 7 | Direct dem | Remove the requirement that an initiative petition signature gatherer must be a resident and registered voter of Maine |
|
122,646 (31%) |
269,699 (69%) |
|
| Question 8 | Elections and Suffrage | Removes a constitutional provision, found unconstitutional in 2001, that says individuals under a guardianship for reasons of mental illness cannot vote for governor, senators, and representatives |
|
184,063 (47%) |
211,120 (53%) |
Getting measures on the ballot
Citizens
In Maine, citizens have the power to initiate state statutes and veto referendums, but not constitutional amendments. Initiatives are indirect in Maine, meaning that the state legislature has the option to approve an initiative without a vote of electors. Voters approved a constitutional amendment for initiative and referendum powers in 1908.
For an initiative to make the 2023 ballot, 63,067 valid signatures must be submitted to the secretary of state. This number of valid signatures required for an initiative to make the ballot is equal to 10% of votes cast for governor in the previous gubernatorial election. The 2023 filing deadline for a citizen-initiated petition is January 26, 2023.[1]
Legislature
The Maine State Legislature can refer statewide ballot measures, in the form of constitutional amendments and state statutes, to the ballot. In Maine, the most common type of referred statute is the bond issue.
Maine is one of 16 states that requires a two-thirds vote in each legislative chamber during one legislative session to refer a constitutional amendment to the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 101 votes in the Maine House of Representatives and 24 votes in the Maine Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
Statutes, including bond issues, require a simple majority vote in each legislative chamber during one legislative session and the governor's signature to appear on the ballot. Section 14 of Article IX of the Maine Constitution requires that state bonds exceeding $2 million be referred to the ballot for voter approval.
Historical facts
In Maine, a total of 249 ballot measures appeared on statewide ballots between 1985 and 2022. One hundred eighty-six ballot measures were approved, and 63 ballot measures were defeated.
| Maine statewide ballot measures, 1985-2022 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total number | Annual average | Annual minimum | Annual maximum | Approved | Defeated | ||
| # | % | # | % | ||||
Ballot initiative certification rates
The following table shows the rate of certification for ballot initiatives in Maine between 2010 and 2022:
| Maine statewide ballot initiatives filed and certified, 2010-2022 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Ballot initiatives filed | Certified | |
| # | % | ||
| Averages | |||
Not on the ballot
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IndISS | Publicly Funded Health Coverage Legislation Initiative | Healthcare | Requires that legislation creating a publicly funded health coverage program be passed | 
|
| IndISS | Legislative Vote to Extend Governor's Emergency Declaration Initiative | Executive | Requires a two-thirds legislative vote to extend the governor's emergency declaration beyond 30 days |
|
| IndISS | Voter ID Requirement Initiative | Voting | Requires a voter to present photo identification before voting | 
|
| IndISS | Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Initiative | Healthcare | Provides an individual paid family and medical leave, as well as the ability to receive family and medical leave insurance benefits in certain situations |
|
| LRCA | Equal Rights Under the Law Amendment | Constitutional rights | Prohibit the denial of equal rights based on the actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, physical or mental disability, ancestry or national origin of an individual |
|
| LRCA | Motor Vehicle Sales and Use Tax Amendment | Taxes | Require 50% of the sales and use tax at the rate of 5.5% collected from automobile dealers be transferred to the Highway Fund |
|
| LRCA | Ranked Choice Voting Amendment | Elections and campaigns | Provide for ranked choice voting to be used for elections for governor, state senator, and state representative |
|
See also
External links
Footnotes
 |
State of Maine Augusta (capital) |
|---|---|
| Elections |
What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2024 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures |
| Government |
Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy |
