Maine Redistricting Measure, Question 4 (2011)

Question 4
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Type:	legislatively-referred constitutional amendment
Constitution:	Maine Constitution
Referred by:	Maine Legislature
Topic:	Redistricting
Status:	Approved a

A Maine Redistricting Measure, also known as Question 4 appeared on the November 8, 2011 ballot in the state of Maine as a legislatively-referred constitutional amendment, where it was approved.a

The measure amended the Maine Constitution to change the years of redistricting the lawmaking body, congressional districts and county commissioner districts after 2013 from 2023 and every 10th years after that to 2021 and every 10th year after that.

Redistricting measures on the ballot in 2011

According to reports, the proposal made it through Maine Legislature and onto the ballot without any friction or opposition. The chief sponsor of the proposal was State Representative Dennis Keschl.

Election results

See also: 2011 ballot measure election results

Maine Question 4
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		197,026	49.8%
No		175,112	44.2%

Results via official election results from the Maine Secretary of State's office.

Text of measure

Ballot language

The ballot language that voters saw on the ballot read:

Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to change the years of redistricting the Maine Legislature, congressional districts and county commissioner districts after 2013 from 2023 and every 10th year thereafter to 2021 and every 10th year thereafter?

Constitutional changes

See also: Maine Redistricting Measure, Question 4 (2011), constitutional text changes

Question 4 amended Article IV, Part 1, sections 2 and 3; Article IV, Part 2, section 2 and add Section 24 and 25 to Article IX of the Maine Constitution.

Support

Arguments

According to the state's Official Voter Guide for 2011 measures, there were no arguments filed in favor of the proposal.

Donors

According to the state campaign finance database, there are no registered committees (PACs).

(last updated October 2011)

Opposition

Arguments

According to the state's Official Voter Guide for 2011 measures, there were no arguments filed against the proposal.

Donors

According to the state campaign finance database, there are no registered committees (PACs).

(last updated October 2011)

Other perspectives

• State Representative Maeghan Maloney commented about the process to place the measure on the ballot during state legislative session in 2011. Mahoney, who co-sponsored the amendment, stated: "I was very pleased with the outcome. We did end up passing a plan with a two-thirds majority, and we worked together, and it's not something that the Democrats love and it's not something that the Republicans love, but it's something that we can both work with and that is best for the state."

Media editorial positions

See also: Endorsements of Maine ballot measures, 2011

Support

• The Journal Tribune stated: "Hopefully passage of this bill will keep the process from degrading into threats from party members, and affirm the people of Maine are being accurately represented at all levels of government."
• The Bangor Daily News commented on the measure: "Question 4 is a rarity in referendum history in that its approval would facilitate a better way to resolve an inherently political conundrum. It does so by leveraging better cooperation between the parties. A yes vote will spare us all the angst of watching the next redistricting process, which is something like watching a divorcing couple fight over the family dog."
• The Portland Press Herald said, "Maine should not aspire to repeat the outrageous acts performed by other state legislatures. We have a good system that treats all parties fairly and it should become part of the constitution. We urge you to vote "yes" on Question 4."
• The Sun Journal stated: "The change puts Maine back on schedule to redistrict every 10 years shortly after the latest federal population information is released. A ”yes” vote on Question 4 is warranted."

Polls

See also: Polls, 2011 ballot measures

• In a poll taken by Critical Insights, results depicted indecision, with 25% of those surveyed undecided on the proposal. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Date of Poll	Pollster	In favor	Opposed	Undecided	Number polled
October 18-23, 2011	Critical Insights	32%	33%	35%	600

Path to the ballot

According to Section 4 of Article X, if the Maine House of Representatives and the Maine State Senate both vote by at least a 2/3rds majority, a proposed amendment to the constitution can be placed on the statewide ballot on the Tuesday following the first Monday of November after the state legislature acts.

Timeline

The following is a timeline of events surrounding the measure:

Event	Date	Developments
Introduced	February 10, 2011	The proposed legislation was introduced in the House
House vote	June 16, 2011	House voted in favor of the proposed measure
Senate vote	'June 28, 2011	Senate voted in favor of the proposed measure
Certified	June 29, 2011	Measure received by the Secretary of State for the 2011 ballot

See also

Suggest a link

• Maine 2011 ballot measures
• 2011 ballot measures
• Maine Legislature
• List of Maine ballot measures

External links

• LD 494 - bill text

Additional reading

• Proposal Bolsters Maine Redistricting Rules