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Laws governing local ballot measures in Maine

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Laws Governing Local Ballot Measures
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This page describes the state constitutional provisions and statutes that govern local ballot measures in Maine. Jurisdictions often establish additional rules within the parameters of state law; those can be found in local ordinances and home-rule charters.

Explore the links below for more information:

Law

The Maine Constitution and the Maine State Election Code establish the rules that govern local ballot measures in the state.

General

The following outlines the general rules that govern local ballot measures in Maine, including both citizen-initiated measures and referred measures from local government bodies.

  • Election timing:
    • Referred measures: Local school budget elections must be held on or before the 45th day after the scheduled budget meeting.[1] Measures to issue county bonds can be conducted at any regular or special statewide election.[2] Measures concerning the creation of a capital improvement district must be held between 45 and 90 days after the initial vote of property holders in the proposed district.[3]
    • Citizen-initiated measures: If a county charter amendment petition is filed more than 120 days before the end of the county fiscal year, the election must be placed on the next regular or special statewide election held in that year. If there is no regular or special election that year, the county commissioner may order a special election.[4] Ballot measures to create a commission to revise or establish a municipal charter must be placed on the first regular or special municipal election held at least 90 days after the certification of the measure for the ballot.[5] An election to approve or reject an increase in the county assessment limit must be held within 45 days of the petition's submission.[6]
  • Vote requirements: All local ballot measures in Maine require a simple majority in order to pass.[7] For the creation, revision, or amendment of county or municipal charters, the number of votes on the measure must also equal at least 30% of the total votes cast in the municipality at the last gubernatorial election.[8] For county bond measures to be approved the number of votes on the measure must equal at least 50% of the total votes cast in the county at the last gubernatorial election.[9]
  • Required ballot measures: Under Maine law, a regional school district or administrative school unit is required to hold a referendum to adopt a budget. Additionally, every three years voters in a regional school unit decide to continue or discontinue the budget validation referendum process.[1] The construction or removal of a county building must be referred to the people for their vote before it can be completed.[10] All county bonds must be approved by voters before they are approved.[9] The formation of a transportation corridor district must be approved by voters in each participating municipality.[11] Municipalities must receive voter approval by a ballot measure to establish a loan fund program to assist in job creation and retention. [12]
  • Ballot measure topic restrictions: Initiated county charter amendments must address a single subject.[4]

Initiatives

The following outlines the general rules that govern local citizen-initiated ballot measures in Maine.

  • Authority: Section 1 of Article VIII, Part Second of the Maine Constitution grants the people the authority to issue and alter their own local and municipal charters. Section 2504 of the Maine State Statutes grants the people the right to circulate local initiatives.[13]
  • Deadlines: For local option liquor laws, petitioners must submit signatures at least 60 days before the election or a town meeting.[14] Petitions for the creation or amendment of a county charter must be submitted with signatures within 120 days of the date of issue.[15] Additionally, petitions for the creation of a commission to create or revise a municipal charter must be submitted within 120 days of the date of issue.[5] Petitions to request a vote on the question of exceeding the county assessment limit must be submitted within 30 days of the county commissioner's vote on the matter.[6] Petitions for a veto referendum challenging a municipal reapportion measure must be filed within 30 days of its adoption.[16]
  • Signatures: For local option liquor laws, a petition must be signed by 5% of the number of voters active in the last gubernatorial election or by 30 people, whichever is smaller.[14] Petitions for the creation or amendment of a county charter must be signed by at least 10% of the number of voters active in the last gubernatorial election.[15][4] Petitions for establishment of a charter commission to revise or adopt a municipal charter must be signed by at least 10 people or 20% of the number of voters active in the last gubernatorial election, whichever is greater.[5] Municipal ballot initiatives can be placed on the ballot after being signed by at least 10% of the number of voters in the municipality active in the last gubernatorial election.[17] Petitions to request a vote on the question of exceeding the county assessment limit must be signed by at least 10% of the number of voters in the county active in the last gubernatorial election.[6] A petition that challenges a municipal reapportionment measure must be signed by at least 15% of the number of voters in the municipality active in the last presidential election.[16]

Referrals

The following outlines additional rules that govern local referred ballot measures in Maine.

  • Authority: If a county seeks to obtain a loan greater than $10,000, they must first receive approval from county voters through a ballot measure.[18][19] Municipalities can place an advisory question on the ballot to gauge public support in changing the boundaries of local government unit boundaries through succession.[20] Counties can place a measure on the ballot that would approve changing the boundaries of local government unit boundaries through succession. The county questions, unlike the municipal questions, would be binding if approved by a majority of all counties involved in the succession.[21] Local districts can place a corporation or district measure on the ballot that would amend the district charter.[22] County commissioners may issue an advisory question to gauge voter support for the deorganization of a municipality.[23]
  • Deadlines: School district budget measures must be delivered to the municipal clerks by the day after the regional school budget meeting.[1]

Laws governing local ballot measures in the U.S.

Laws governing local ballot measures in the United States

As state laws govern ballot measures, the rules are different from state to state. Click on a state below to explore that state's laws on local ballot measures.

http://ballotpedia.org/Laws_governing_local_ballot_measures_in_STATE

External links

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Maine Revised Statutes, "§1486. Budget validation referendum," accessed November 11, 2025
  2. ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "§938. Bond issue referendum election; conduct; public hearings," accessed November 11, 2025
  3. ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "§5213. Capital improvement districts; public hearing; notice; referendum votes," accessed November 11, 2025
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Maine Revised Statutes, "§1323. Charter amendments; procedure," accessed November 11, 2025
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Maine Revised Statutes, "§2102. Charter revisions, adoptions, procedure," accessed November 11, 2025
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Maine Revised Statutes, "§706-A. Limitation on county assessments," accessed November 11, 2025
  7. ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "§1503. Referendum procedures," accessed November 10, 2025
  8. ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "§2105. Submission to voters," accessed November 11, 2025
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Maine Revised Statutes, "§125. Economic and community development," accessed November 11, 2025
  10. ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "§122. Location of county buildings; referendum required," accessed November 11, 2025
  11. ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "§3502. Formation; powers," accessed November 11, 2025
  12. ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "§5726. Development," accessed November 11, 2025
  13. ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "§2504. Circulation of petitions for local initiative," accessed November 11, 2025
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Maine Revised Statutes, "§121. Local option election in a municipality," accessed November 11, 2025
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Maine Revised Statutes, "§1321. Charter adoptions, revisions, procedure," accessed November 11, 2025
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Maine Revised Statutes, "§2503. Reapportionment," accessed November 11, 2025
  17. ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "§2522. Petition for article in warrant," accessed November 11, 2025
  18. ↑ https://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/30-a/title30-Asec934.html Maine Revised Statutes, "§934. Loans," accessed November 11, 2025]
  19. ↑ Franklin and Aroostook counties have different loan limits and requirements.
  20. ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "§2171-D. Advisory referendum," accessed November 11, 2025
  21. ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "§2177. County approval of secession," accessed November 11, 2025
  22. ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "§2354. Procedure for referenda on charter changes," accessed November 11, 2025
  23. ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "§7207. Public hearing and meeting on deorganization procedure," accessed November 11, 2025
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