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Maine Question 1, High-Speed Internet Infrastructure Bond Issue (July 2020)

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Maine Question 1
Flag of Maine.png
Election date
July 14, 2020
Topic
Bond issues
Status
Approveda Approved
Type
Bond issue		Origin
State Legislature

Maine Question 1, the High-Speed Internet Infrastructure Bond Issue, was on the ballot in Maine as a legislatively referred bond question on July 14, 2020. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supports this measure to authorize $15 million in general obligation bonds for the ConnectME Authority to provide funding for high-speed internet infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas.

A "no" vote opposes this measure to authorize $15 million in general obligation bonds for the ConnectME Authority to provide funding for high-speed internet infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas.


Election results

Maine Question 1

Result Votes Percentage

Approved Yes

234,932 75.24%
No 77,325 24.76%
Results are officially certified.
Source


Overview

How did Question 1 distribute the bond revenue?

See also: Text of the bond measure

Question 1 authorized $15 million in general obligation bonds for the ConnectME Authority to provide funding for high-speed internet infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas.[1]

As of March 2020, the ConnectME Authority defined unserved areas as places where broadband service is not offered and underserved areas as places where less than 20 percent of households have access to broadband service.[2]

The bond revenue was estimated to match $30 million in federal, private, local, and other funds.[1]

What were recent bond measures on the ballot in Maine?

See also: Bond issues on the ballot in Maine

Voters of Maine cast ballots on 39 bond issues, totaling $1.43 billion in value, between January 1, 2007, and January 1, 2020. All but one bond issue question was approved. This 2020 bond measure was designed to issue bonds related to internet infrastructure. Before the election, the most recent transportation-related bond measure was Question 1, a transportation-related bond issue, of 2019.

Maine voters also voted on Question 2, a $105 million transportation infrastructure bond issue, at the July 14 election.

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title was as follows:[1]

“

Do you favor a $15,000,000 bond issue to invest in high-speed internet infrastructure for unserved and underserved areas, to be used to match up to $30,000,000 in federal, private, local or other funds?[3]

”

Full text

The full text of the ballot measure was as follows:[1]


Sec. B-1. Authorization of bonds. The Treasurer of State is authorized, under the direction of the Governor, to issue bonds in the name and on behalf of the State in an amount not exceeding $15,000,000 for the purposes described in section 6 of this Part. The bonds are a pledge of the full faith and credit of the State. The bonds may not run for a period longer than 10 years from the date of the original issue of the bonds.

Sec. B-2. Records of bonds issued; Treasurer of State. The Treasurer of State shall ensure that an account of each bond is kept showing the number of the bond, the name of the successful bidder to whom sold, the amount received for the bond, the date of sale and the date when payable.

Sec. B-3. Sale; how negotiated; proceeds appropriated. The Treasurer of State may negotiate the sale of the bonds by direction of the Governor, but no bond may be loaned, pledged or hypothecated on behalf of the State. The proceeds of the sale of the bonds, which must be held by the Treasurer of State and paid by the Treasurer of State upon warrants drawn by the State Controller, are appropriated solely for the purposes set forth in this Part. Any unencumbered balances remaining at the completion of the project in this Part lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of general obligation bonds.

Sec. B-4. Interest and debt retirement. The Treasurer of State shall pay interest due or accruing on any bonds issued under this Part and all sums coming due for payment of bonds at maturity.

Sec. B-5. Disbursement of bond proceeds. The ConnectME Authority, in consultation with the Department of Economic and Community Development, shall oversee the disbursement of bond proceeds and matching funds authorized pursuant to this Part.

Sec. B-6. Allocations from General Fund bond issue. The proceeds of the sale of the bonds authorized under this Part must be expended as designated in the following schedule.

CONNECTME AUTHORITY
Provides funds to the ConnectME Authority, as established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, section 12004-G, subsection 33-F, for investments in high-speed internet infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas.
Total: $15,000,000

Sec. B-7. Contingent upon ratification of bond issue. Sections 1 to 6 do not become effective unless the people of the State ratify the issuance of the bonds as set forth in this Part.

Sec. B-8. Appropriation balances at year-end. At the end of each fiscal year, all unencumbered appropriation balances representing state money carry forward. Bond proceeds that have not been expended within 10 years after the date of the sale of the bonds lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of general obligation bonds.

Sec. B-9. Bonds authorized but not issued. Any bonds authorized but not issued within 5 years of ratification of this Part are deauthorized and may not be issued, except that the Legislature may, within 2 years after the expiration of that 5-year period, extend the period for issuing any remaining unissued bonds for an additional amount of time not to exceed 5 years.

Sec. B-10. Referendum for ratification; submission at election; form of question; effective date. This Part must be submitted to the legal voters of the State at a statewide election held in June 2020. The municipal officers of this State shall notify the inhabitants of their respective cities, towns and plantations to meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding a statewide election, to vote on the acceptance or rejection of this Part by voting on the following question:

"Do you favor a $15,000,000 bond issue to invest in high-speed internet infrastructure for unserved and underserved areas, to be used to match up to $30,000,000 in federal, private, local or other funds?"

The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall vote by ballot on this question and designate their choice by a cross or check mark placed within a corresponding square below the word "Yes" or "No." The ballots must be received, sorted, counted and declared in open ward, town and plantation meetings and returns made to the Secretary of State in the same manner as votes for members of the Legislature. The Governor shall review the returns. If a majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of this Part, the Governor shall proclaim the result without delay and this Part becomes effective 30 days after the date of the proclamation.

The Secretary of State shall prepare and furnish to each city, town and plantation all ballots, returns and copies of this Part necessary to carry out the purposes of this referendum.

Readability score

See also: Ballot measure readability scores, 2020
Using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) formulas, Ballotpedia scored the readability of the ballot title and summary for this measure. Readability scores are designed to indicate the reading difficulty of text. The Flesch-Kincaid formulas account for the number of words, syllables, and sentences in a text; they do not account for the difficulty of the ideas in the text. The Maine State Legislature wrote the ballot language for this measure.


The FKGL for the ballot title is grade level 14, and the FRE is 17. The word count for the ballot title is 32, and the estimated reading time is 8 seconds.


Support

Vote Yes on 1 for Better Internet led the campaign in support of Question 1.[4]

Supporters

Vote Yes on 1 for Better Internet provided a full list of supporters, which is available here.[5]

  • AARP Maine
  • American Council of Engineering Companies, Maine Chapter
  • League of Women Voters
  • Maine Association of Realtors
  • Maine Broadband Coalition
  • Maine Chamber of Commerce
  • Maine Community College System
  • Maine Community Foundation
  • Maine Conservation Voters
  • Maine Family Planning
  • Maine Farmland Trust
  • Maine Library Association
  • Maine Lobstermen's Association
  • Maine Municipal Association
  • Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association
  • Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce
  • Northern Maine Development Commission
  • Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce
  • Sierra Club Maine
  • University of Maine System
  • Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine

Opposition

Arguments

  • Douglas Rooks: "The $15 million 'down payment' will go almost entirely to private companies to build, then own, lines at taxpayer expense. Using ConnectMaine’s figures, it will cost an eye-popping $7,228 per customer just to offer broadband throughout Maine – not counting whatever you’ll pay to get that service. In a nutshell, the two bonds contrast two competing economic systems: One that uses government to plan and direct the development of public services, and one that trusts the private sector to try to provide every public good. In 2020, amid the meltdown of public health and a virus spreading everywhere except the Northeast, the 'privatization' argument is far from persuasive. I, for one, will be voting against Question 1."


Campaign finance

The campaign finance information on this page reflects the most recent scheduled reports that Ballotpedia has processed, which covered through August 18, 2020.


See also: Campaign finance requirements for Maine ballot measures

Vote Yes on 1 for Better Internet was organized as a political action committee (PAC) to support the ballot measure.[6]

Ballotpedia had not identified PACs opposed to the ballot measure.

Cash Contributions In-Kind Contributions Total Contributions Cash Expenditures Total Expenditures
Support $64,283.26 $47,943.36 $112,226.62 $64,283.26 $112,226.62
Oppose $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Total $64,283.26 $47,943.36 $112,226.62 $64,283.26 $112,226.62

Support

The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committee in support of the initiative.[6]

Committees in support of Question 1
Committee Cash Contributions In-Kind Contributions Total Contributions Cash Expenditures Total Expenditures
Vote Yes on 1 for Better Internet $64,283.26 $47,943.36 $112,226.62 $64,283.26 $112,226.62
Total $64,283.26 $47,943.36 $112,226.62 $64,283.26 $112,226.62

Donors

The following were the top five donors who contributed to the support committee.[6]

Donor Cash Contributions In-Kind Contributions Total Contributions
Island Institute $6,653.26 $21,598.80 $28,252.06
Elliottsville Plantation, Inc. $10,000.00 $0.00 $10,000.00
Axiom Technologies $4,000.00 $2,475.00 $6,475.00
Tilson Technology Management, Inc. $1,500.00 $3,520.00 $5,020.00
Bangor Savings Bank $3,000.00 $0.00 $3,000.00

Media editorials

See also: 2020 ballot measure media endorsements

Ballotpedia identified the following media editorial boards as taking positions on the ballot measure. If you are aware of a media editorial board position that is not listed below, please email the editorial link to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Support

  • Bangor Daily News Editorial Board: "This would be the first-ever bond investment of its kind in Maine, and given the long standing and increasing need for better internet connectivity — particularly in rural areas of the state, and as the coronavirus pandemic has underscored the importance of remote services — it is both overdue and timely. ... Question 1 won’t solve Maine’s connectivity issues overnight, or even years from now. But it will marshall resources from all three of those sources Schaeffer mentioned, and hopefully be an initial step to more consistent, significant broadband investment in the state."
  • Portland Press Herald Editorial Board: "The internet is integrated into everything we do. It’s no longer something you log onto here and there, but a constant feature — a portal through which nearly every part of our lives is organized and operated. As such, it’s not a luxury — in fact, it’s hard to see it as anything but a necessity anymore. For doing business. For staying in touch with friends and family. For receiving health care and an education. For participating in democracy. That’s why we support a 'yes' vote on Question 1 on the July 14 statewide ballot, which sets aside $15 million to invest in high-speed internet in areas of the state where it is unavailable."


Opposition

Ballotpedia did not identify media editorial boards that oppose Question 1.

Background

ConnectME Authority

As of 2020, the ConnectME Authority was a public organization that was established in 2005. It was responsible for promoting the use of broadband service, providing technical support for local and regional broadband planning, providing funding for broadband investments in unserved and underserved communities, and other broadband-related activities.[7]

The ConnectME Authority was composed of seven members, including the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) chairperson, the Chief Information Officer of the State, the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, one consumer representative, two members with significant knowledge of communications technology, and one member with significant knowledge of telemedicine, as appointed by the governor.[7]

Bond issues on the ballot in Maine

See also: Bond issues on the ballot

Voters of Maine cast ballots on 39 bond issues, totaling $1.43 billion ($1,427,925,000) in value, from January 1, 2007, through January 1, 2020. Voters approved 38 of 39 bond issues (97.4 percent) between 2007 and 2020. The last bond measure to be rejected was Question 2 (2012), which would have authorized $11 million in bonds to expand the state's community college system.

The following table contains information on the 39 bond issues that appeared on the ballot in Maine between January 1, 2007, through January 1, 2020:
Note: Click "Show" to expand the table.

Debt from voter-approved bonds

The state treasurer provides an overview of the state’s debt resulting from general obligation bonds, which include all voter-approved bonds.[8] A general obligation bond constitutes a public debt and is paid for through state funds. Section 14 of Article IX of the Maine Constitution requires that general obligation bonds exceeding $2 million be referred to the ballot for voter approval.

Maine had $543.40 million in debt from general obligation bonds on June 30, 2019. About $103.64 million of voter-approved bonds from prior elections had not yet been issued for projects as of June 30, 2019.[9] The debt from general obligation bonds was the highest since at least 2005 (not accounting for inflation). In 2018, the general obligation bond debt was $376.12 million. The graph below provides an illustration of state debt from general obligation bonds and the annual amount of unissued bonds in millions of dollars between June 30, 2005, and June 30, 2019:

Path to the ballot

See also: Legislatively-referred state statute
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Coronavirus pandemic
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Section 14 of Article IX of the Maine Constitution requires that state general obligation bonds exceeding $2 million be referred to the ballot for voter approval. A two-thirds vote in both chambers of the Maine State Legislature is required to put bond issues before voters.

Rep. Drew Gattine (D-34) introduced the bond issue into the Maine State Legislature as Legislative Document 2134 (LD 2134) at the request of Gov. Janet Mills (D). Both chambers of the state legislature passed LD 2134 on March 17, 2020. In the state House, the vote was 124-7. In the state Senate, a roll call was not recorded but the vote exceeded the two-thirds requirement.[1]

On March 18, 2020, Gov. Mills signed LD 2134, which placed the bond issue on the ballot for June 9, 2020.[10] Gov. Mills issued Executive Order No. 39 FY 19/20 on April 10, 2020, in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The executive order moved the election on June 9, 2020, to July 14, 2020.

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Maine

Click "Show" to learn more about voter registration, identification requirements, and poll times in Maine.

See also

External links

Legislation

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Maine State Legislature, "Legislative Document 2134," accessed March 18, 2020
  2. ↑ ConnectME Authority, "ConnectME Authority Adopted Rules," accessed March 18, 2020
  3. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  4. ↑ Vote Yes on 1 for Better Internet, "Homepage," accessed July 6, 2020
  5. ↑ Vote Yes on 1 for Better Internet, "Allies," accessed July 6, 2020
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Maine Ethics Commission, "Vote Yes on 1 for Better Internet," accessed July 6, 2020
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Maine Revised Statutes, "Title 35-A, Chapter 93," accessed March 20, 2020
  8. ↑ Maine State Treasurer, "Bonds on the Ballot," accessed September 3, 2019
  9. ↑ Maine State Treasurer, "Maine's Debt Snapshot - 6/30/19," June 30, 2019
  10. ↑ Maine Governor, "Governor Mills Signs Bill to Improve Health Insurance for Maine People and Small Businesses," March 19, 2020
  11. ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "Title 21-A, Chapter 9, Section 626," accessed April 14, 2023
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 Maine Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions, "State of Maine Voter Guide," accessed April 14, 2023
  13. ↑ WMTW 8, “Maine governor signs automatic voter registration bill into law,” June 21, 2019
  14. ↑ Maine Legislature, "H.P. 804 - L.D. 1126: An Act To Update the Voter Registration Process," accessed June 8, 2023
  15. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Same Day Voter Registration," accessed January 31, 2023
  16. ↑ Department of the Secretary of State, "Maine Voter Registration Application," accessed November 1, 2024
  17. ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
  18. ↑ Maine Secretary of State, "Your Right to Vote in Maine," accessed April 15, 2023
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