Maine Question 2, Transportation Infrastructure Bond Issue (July 2020)

Maine Question 2
Election date July 14, 2020
Topic Bond issues and Transportation
Status a Approved
Type Bond issue	Origin State Legislature
List of Maine measuresQuestion 1 (March)Question 1 (July)Question 2 (July)Submit

Maine Question 2, the Transportation 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 $105 million in general obligation bonds for transportation infrastructure projects.

A "no" vote opposes this measure to authorize $105 million in general obligation bonds for transportation infrastructure projects.

Election results

Maine Question 2
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		248,056	78.99%
No		65,975	21.01%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Overview

How did Question 2 distribute the bond revenue?

See also: Text of the bond measure

Question 2 authorized $105 million in general obligation bonds for transportation infrastructure projects, including:

• $90 million for highways, bridges, and MaineDOT's Municipal Partnership Initiative (MPI) and

• $15 million for multimodal facilities and equipment related to transit, freight and passenger railroads, aviation, ports, harbors, marine transportation, and active transportation projects.

The bond revenue was estimated to match $275 million in federal and other funds.

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 transportation projects. There were 10 other bond issues addressing transportation on the ballot during the 13 previous years. All 10 of them were approved, issuing a combined total of $884.53 million in bonds. Before the election, the most recent transportation-related bond measure was Question 1 of 2019.

Maine voters also voted on Question 1, a $15 million high-speed internet infrastructure bond issue, at the July 14 election.

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title was as follows:

“

Do you favor a $105,000,000 bond issue for improvement of highways and bridges statewide and for multimodal facilities or equipment related to transit, freight and passenger railroads, aviation, ports, harbors, marine transportation and active transportation projects, to be used to match an estimated $275,000,000 in federal and other funds?

”

Full text

The full text of the ballot measure was as follows:

Sec. A-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 $105,000,000 for the purposes described in section 5 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. A-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. A-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. A-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. A-5. Disbursement of bond proceeds 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 under the direction and supervision of the agencies and entities set forth in this section. TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT OF Provides funds to improve highways and bridges statewide, including the Madawaska International Bridge replacement project and associated utility relocation costs, and for the department's municipal partnership initiative and associated activities. Total: $90,000,000 Provides funds for multimodal facilities or equipment related to transit, freight and passenger railroads, aviation, ports, harbors, marine transportation and active transportation projects and associated activities. Total: $15,000,000 Sec. A-6. Contingent upon ratification of bond issue. Sections 1 to 5 do not become effective unless the people of the State ratify the issuance of the bonds as set forth in this Part. Sec. A-7. 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. A-8. 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. A-9. 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 $105,000,000 bond issue for improvement of highways and bridges statewide and for multimodal facilities or equipment related to transit, freight and passenger railroads, aviation, ports, harbors, marine transportation and active transportation projects, to be used to match an estimated $275,000,000 in federal and 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 25, and the FRE is 1. The word count for the ballot title is 47, and the estimated reading time is 12 seconds.

Support

Arguments

• Bruce Van Note, the commissioner of the Maine Department of Transportation, stated, "There has never been a more important transportation bond vote in Maine than the one to be decided this Tuesday. ... Unlike past years, approval of this bond is needed to support projects that are ready to go to construction this year. If the bond does not pass, MaineDOT will have no choice but to cut projects. ... In March, the number of vehicles on Maine roads dropped by about half as we battled the virus. This enabled us to allow more daytime construction work and lane closures – something that is safer and cheaper. ... Of course, less driving means less gas purchased, which means less fuel tax revenue going into the state’s Highway Fund. ... Under current law, federal emergency relief funding provided to the states for the pandemic cannot be used to replace our lost revenues. Although we know that our congressional delegation is working on fixing this, the bond funding represented by Question 2 is currently the only reliable way we can keep our capital program going. Normally, we use bond funds for projects in future years. This year, the bond funds are needed to keep improvement projects flowing this year. That makes this bond vote more important than ever."

Opposition

Ballotpedia has not identified individuals and entities opposing the ballot measure. If you are aware of published opposition to the ballot measure, you may send a reference link to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Campaign finance

Total campaign contributions:
Support:	$0.00
Opposition:	$0.00

See also: Campaign finance requirements for Maine ballot measures

Ballotpedia has not identified ballot question committees registered to support or oppose the ballot measure.

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: "As they have consistently in the past, voters should approve the bond to support much-needed road, bridge, port and other transportation projects and maintenance across the state. Now is not the time to let the foot off the gas in terms of supporting an already beleaguered transportation infrastructure that faces a continued funding shortfall."

Opposition

Ballotpedia has not identified media editorial boards that oppose Question 2.

Background

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.

Year	Measure	Amount	Primary purpose	Outcome
2007 (June)	Question 1	$112,975,000	Transportation projects	a
2007 (June)	Question 2	$18,300,000	Water facilities	a
2007	Question 2	$55,000,000	Economic development	a
2007	Question 3	$43,500,000	Higher education	a
2007	Question 4	$35,500,000	Environmental conservation and recreation	a
2008 (June)	Question 1	$29,725,000	Water facilities and transportation projects	a
2008	Question 3	$3,400,000	Water facilities	a
2009	Question 6	$71,250,000	Transportation projects	a
2010 (June)	Question 2	$26,500,000	Energy projects and higher education	a
2010 (June)	Question 3	$47,800,000	Transportation projects	a
2010 (June)	Question 4	$23,750,000	Economic development	a
2010 (June)	Question 5	$10,250,000	Water facilities	a
2010	Question 2	$5,000,000	Healthcare services	a
2010	Question 3	$9,750,000	Environmental conservation and recreation	a
2012	Question 2	$11,300,000	Higher education	d
2012	Question 3	$5,000,000	Environmental conservation and recreation	a
2012	Question 4	$51,500,000	Transportation projects	a
2012	Question 5	$7,925,000	Water facilities	a
2013	Question 1	$14,000,000	Military facilities	a
2013	Question 2	$15,500,000	Higher education	a
2013	Question 3	$100,000,000	Transportation projects	a
2013	Question 4	$4,500,000	Higher education	a
2013	Question 5	$15,500,000	Higher education	a
2014	Question 2	$8,000,000	Agricultural research	a
2014	Question 3	$12,000,000	Economic development	a
2014	Question 4	$10,000,000	Healthcare research	a
2014	Question 5	$3,000,000	Healthcare research	a
2014	Question 6	$10,000,000	Water facilities and environmental conservation	a
2014	Question 7	$7,000,000	Economic development	a
2015	Question 2	$15,000,000	Housing projects	a
2015	Question 3	$85,000,000	Transportation projects	a
2016	Question 6	$100,000,000	Transportation projects	a
2017	Question 1	$50,000,000	Economic development	a
2017	Question 3	$105,000,000	Transportation projects	a
2018	Question 2	$30,000,000	Water facilities	a
2018	Question 3	$106,000,000	Transportation projects	a
2018	Question 4	$49,000,000	Higher education	a
2018	Question 5	$15,000,000	Higher education	a
2019	Question 1	$105,000,000	Transportation projects	a

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. 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. 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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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.

On March 18, 2020, Gov. Mills signed LD 2134, which placed the bond issue on the ballot for June 9, 2020. 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.

How to cast a vote in Maine

The information below covers regular voting policies in the state. Information may have not applied to the election on November 3, 2020, because of temporary changes in response to coronavirus. Click here to read about changes made for the 2020 elections. Poll times In Maine, municipalities with a population of 500 or more open their polls between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., while municipalities with a population of less than 500 open their polls between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. All polls close at 8:00 p.m. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote. Registration Check your voter registration status here. To register to vote in Maine, one must be "a United States citizen, at least 16 years of age to pre-register to vote, and have established a fixed principal home in Maine. To vote in a Referendum or General Election, you must be registered in the community where you reside, and be at least 18 years of age. A 17 year old may vote in a Primary Election, if that person will be 18 by the General Election." Voters can return completed registration cards in person or by mail to their town office or city hall, any Motor Vehicle branch office, most state & federal social service agencies, or a voter registration drive. There is no deadline for voter registration if completed in person. If registering by mail or online, the deadline is 21 days prior to the election. If registering through a qualified state agency, the deadlines is seven days prior to the election. When registering for the first time in Maine, voters must provide documents verifying their identity and residence. The following documents are acceptable identification for the purpose of registering to vote: Government ID with a photo (i.e. driver’s license, State ID, valid U.S. Passport, military ID, ID card issued by a federally recognized Indian tribe) Government ID without photo (i.e. certified birth certificate or signed Social Security card) Other official document showing the name and address of voter (i.e. eligibility for public benefits, utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck) Student photo ID from a state-approved public or private school or institute of higher education in Maine Maine driver’s license number or last four digits of Social Security Number Automatic registration On June 19, 2019, Gov. Janet Mills signed an automatic voter registration bill into law that was scheduled for implementation in 2022. The law registers voters through the Department of Motor Vehicles. Online registration See also: Online voter registration Maine has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website. Governor Janet T. Mills (D) signed L.D. 1126 into law on July 9, 2021, allowing online voter registration in Maine. This legislation went into effect on November 1, 2023. Same-day registration Maine allows same-day voter registration. Residency requirements To register to vote in Maine, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible. Verification of citizenship See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States Maine does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters. Verifying your registration The Maine voter information lookup service allows residents to check their voter registration status online. Voter ID requirements Maine does not require voters to present identification while voting. If a voter registers to vote on Election Day, he or she must provide identification and proof of residence.

See also

2020 measures

• 2020 ballot measures
• Bond issues on the ballot
• Transportation on the ballot

Maine

• Maine ballot measures
• Maine ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

Legislation

• Maine Legislative Document 2134 (2020)