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Debate in Maine over responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

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These pages were updated from March 2020 through June 2020 and do not contain the latest commentary available. To submit arguments for inclusion on this page, email editor@ballotpedia.org. To learn how Ballotpedia decides which arguments to feature, click here.


Ballotpedia is providing comprehensive coverage of how the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is affecting America's political and civic life. In addition to monitoring federal, state, and local responses to the coronavirus, we are also capturing the nationwide and local debates on whether to extend or lift coronavirus-related restrictions affecting the economy, schools, government operations, public health, religious services, and travel.

These arguments come from a variety of sources, including public officials, journalists, think tanks, economists, scientists, and other stakeholders. We encourage you to share the debates happening in your local community to editor@ballotpedia.org.


This article covers the debate over continuing restrictions and closures in Maine in response to the coronavirus pandemic. You will find the following:


Debate over reopening plans in Maine

See also: Debate over reopening plans during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on reopening plans in Maine.

  • Administration of Gov. Janet Mills (D) (Maine Governor): On April 28, 2020, Gov. Janet Mills (D) released a four-state reopening plan for Maine.

    "Under the Governor’s plan, the stages are based on calendar months, to allow for time to assess the effectiveness of the health and safety precautions put into place and give businesses a predictable timeframe to plan for opening. The earliest stages are focused on resuming business operations and activities which can be conducted in a safe manner, meaning they have a low risk for potential transmission of the virus. In addition, new public health guidance will also go into effect. Maine people will be newly required to wear cloth face coverings in public settings where physical distancing measures are difficult to maintain. Employers must also ensure workers wear such cloth face coverings when appropriate, and long-term care facilities will be subject to emergency rules to keep residents and staff safe. While progression through the stages is planned month-by-month, decisions will be determined by public health metrics. Progress may also change based on virus trends, testing or treatment breakthroughs, or identification of new, safe ways of doing business." - "Restarting Maine’s Economy," April 28, 2020.

  • Former U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin (R) (Portland Press Herald): Former U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin (R) wrote an op-ed that responded to Gov. Janet Mills' (D) reopening plan.

    "Most of Maine is rural, and it always struggles economically. There’s no reason why it can’t cautiously reopen more quickly than Gov. Mills’ recent plan. Let our rural residents go back to work and support their families. Two-thirds of the coronavirus cases in Maine are in the much more populated southern Cumberland and York counties. We can diligently protect our most at-risk seniors in nursing facilities and veterans homes and still open up the countryside." - "Bruce Poliquin: It’s time to start carefully reopening Maine," May 1, 2020.

  • Rep. Rich Cebra (R) (Maine Wire): On April 30, state Rep. Rich Cebra (R) commented on the governor's reopening plan.

    "I watched the governor’s announcement hoping that she would recognize that the economic and social devastation posed by COVID-19 is now far greater than the health risk to the population at large, outside of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, medical settings, and those with underlying health conditions. ... The governor needs to trust Maine citizens and small businesses while focusing on the small subset of our population that is at high risk of the coronavirus and to a lesser extent, the flu. … We’re watching this administration needlessly wreck our state’s economic future by indecision and hedging, with unresponsive delays and non-answers. Governor Mills needs to stop coming out every day to say we don’t know, we’ll see, or maybe tomorrow. She needs to act decisively, according to the actual science and data, and with confidence in the abilities and common sense of Maine people. … Trust Maine people and Maine small business owners by opening Maine now." - "Governor Mills’ ‘solution’ is worse than the problem," April 30, 2020.

  • Kennebec Journal Editorial Board (Kennebec Journal): "The virus does not respect the calendar, and the state should not stick to a plan if the conditions change. And conditions are changing in southern Maine. After a few weeks of apparent flattening in the numbers of new cases and COVID hospitalizations, numbers have been climbing just as restrictions were scheduled to relax" - "Gov. Mills Right to Pause Restaurant Reopening," May 31, 2020.


Debate over stay-at-home orders in Maine

See also: Debate over stay-at-home orders during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on the stay-at-home order in Maine.


Debate over the economic impact in Maine

See also: Debate over economic impact during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on the economic impact of coronavirus in Maine.

  • Rep. Rich Cebra (R) (Maine Wire): On April 30, state Rep. Rich Cebra (R) commented on the governor's reopening plan.

    "I watched the governor’s announcement hoping that she would recognize that the economic and social devastation posed by COVID-19 is now far greater than the health risk to the population at large, outside of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, medical settings, and those with underlying health conditions. ... The governor needs to trust Maine citizens and small businesses while focusing on the small subset of our population that is at high risk of the coronavirus and to a lesser extent, the flu. … We’re watching this administration needlessly wreck our state’s economic future by indecision and hedging, with unresponsive delays and non-answers. Governor Mills needs to stop coming out every day to say we don’t know, we’ll see, or maybe tomorrow. She needs to act decisively, according to the actual science and data, and with confidence in the abilities and common sense of Maine people. … Trust Maine people and Maine small business owners by opening Maine now." - "Governor Mills’ ‘solution’ is worse than the problem," April 30, 2020.

  • Mainers Against Excessive Quarantine (News Center Maine): "Business owners are being forced to layoff employees while the unemployment system is failing those laid off as the economy free falls. This is a recipe for disaster with many in our society helpless. We cannot stand by and watch our neighbors suffer while the government considers prolonging these painful conditions." - "Protesters to urge Gov. Mills to 'reopen Maine' during coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic," April 20, 2020.

  • Daniel Innis, Professor of Marketing at the University of New Hampshire (Bangor Daily News): "We essentially shut down 30 percent of the economy by government order. It’s the restaurants, it’s the hotels, but it’s also the food service suppliers, the linen suppliers and so on. I don’t think it’s inconceivable — and I’ve heard this number thrown around — that we get into the 20 to 30 percent unemployment range before we reopen. That is huge. Those numbers exceed what we saw in the Great Depression." - "Economists paint ‘dire’ picture for Maine in potentially long coronavirus recession," April 9, 2020.

  • Michael Donihue, Professor of Economics at Colby College (Bangor Daily News): "Then, the industries that are being hit the hardest are the ones that really form much of the core of the Maine economy, namely the hospitality and tourism industries. With the related effects on things like the fisheries in Maine, the lobster industry in particular, there are real concerns about not just how deep this is going to go for them, but how are they going to recover from this? That’s where I think that’s where people have the right to be really concerned." - "Economists paint ‘dire’ picture for Maine in potentially long coronavirus recession," April 9, 2020.


Debate over school closures in Maine

See also: Debate over school closures during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on school closures in Maine.

We have not yet identified any statements related to this topic or state. To suggest a statement, email us.


Debate over religious service restrictions in Maine

See also: Debate over religious service restrictions during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on religious service restrictions in Maine.

We have not yet identified any statements related to this topic or state. To suggest a statement, email us.


Debate over election policy in Maine

See also: Debate over election policies and procedures during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on election policies in Maine.

  • Gov. Janet Mills (D) (NECN): Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed an executive order moving the state's election on June 9, 2020, to July 14, 2020.

    "A person’s right to vote is the foundation of our democracy, and I take seriously government’s responsibility to ensure that every Maine person has the opportunity to have their voice heard and to do so in a way that protects their health and safety during this unprecedented pandemic." - "Maine Postpones Its Primary Election Amid Coronavirus Pandemic," April 10, 2020.


Debate over parks and outdoors in Maine

See also: Debate over parks and outdoors and procedures during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on parks and outdoors in Maine.

  • Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Communications Director Mark Latti (News Center Maine): "At first I think we like many others, we were a little concerned when we saw so many vehicles. But it didn't take long really to get out in the woods and see that encounters and interaction with people were few and far between." - "Mainers take to hiking amid stay home order," April 15, 2020.


Responses to the coronavirus in Maine

See also: Government responses to and political effects of the coronavirus pandemic, 2020 (Maine)

Click the links below for more on responses to the coronavirus pandemic in Maine.

General resources

The chart below shows coronavirus statistics from countries across the world. The information is provided by Real Clear Politics.

Click the links below to explore official resources related to the coronavirus outbreak.


See also

Footnotes

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Political responses to the coronavirus pandemic, 2020-2021
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Federal policy responses • State government responses • Local government responses • Diagnosed or quarantined incumbents, candidates, and officials • State legislative session changes • State legislative responses • State executive orders • Eviction and foreclosure policies • Travel restrictions • School responses (2021-2022) • School responses (2020-2021) • School responses (2019-2020) • State court closures • Stay-at-home order status • States that issued stay-at-home orders • States that did not issue stay-at-home orders • Changes to ballot measure campaigns and policies • Changes to vote-by-mail and absentee voting procedures • Initial key federal official responses • Arguments in support of and opposition to government responses • Lawsuits • Multistate agreements • Non-governmental plans to reopen • Unemployment filings • Analysis articles • Paycheck Protection Program • Mask requirements • School budget changes • State budgets • Federal definitions of essential and nonessential businesses • Federal aid to states • Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program • State emergency power authority • Changes to state emergency power authority • Municipal emergency power authority • Halloween guidelines • Vaccine distribution plans • State plans to end federal unemployment • Changes to emergency power laws • Active COVID-19 emergency orders • State vaccine requirement (vaccine passport) policies • Recalls related to the pandemic • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance on school responses to the coronavirus • State employee vaccine requirements • Healthcare worker vaccine requirements
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